Hancock Historical Society Officers & Board of Directors
2013-2014 Officers
President: Dan Murphy
Vice President: Marian Golden
Secretary/Treasurer: Wayne Keefer
Board of Directors:
Don Corbett - President Emeritus
Jackie Flowers, Jeanie Corbett,
Ernest Shives, Marylin Bowers.
Mac Elser, Leo Murray, Teresa Van Der Bos
copy of Historical Society Brochure
"Hancock Historical Society - Preserving the Past"
is now available.
e-mail hancockmd.com or hancockhistoricalsociety@gmail.com
Hancock Museum
126 West High Street
Hancock, Maryland 21750
The Hancock Historical Society was incorporated in 1980 and the Hancock Museum opened one year later. It displays artifacts from all
facets of town history including a large genealogy file, business memorabilia, newspaper clippings, photographs and more.
Displays are changed throughout the year with special attention given to area residents who have served in our military, school and teacher
displays, and a vast collection of orchard items. A Christmas Open House is held in November with a display of antique Christmas cards
from local familities dating back several generations.
Revolving exhibits such as pictures of the area's WWI soldiers are on display from April through June on the second and the fourth Sunday from 2-4 pm.
The museum contains a library of yearbooks and thousands of pieces of genealogy fully catalogued and referenced. It houses a locally made Faith Wilkerson buggy bought by the historical society and a Wilkerson sleigh donated by Keith Kirk and Linn Hendershot. Renovations of both were paid for by the Hancock Lions Club. Those interested in learning more are welcome to visit or call to schedule an appointment.
Groups are more than welcome. To schedule an appointment please call 301-678-6308.
A Western Maryland Railroad stove, formerly owned by Lucy Fisher can be seen. Many albums prepared by Corbett are available on specific topics such as the local apple industry. Contents of albums are catalogued and identified with the exception of a few pictures. The pictorial albums contain pictures of area people, businesses, teachers and students, events.
Additional information currently needed for the museum's files are Morgan County, West Virginia Graveyard History; Morgan County Death Records 1856-1903; Morgan County Marriage Records, 1865-1903; Morgan County Birth Records, 1865-1904; and five censuses records of Morgan County, 1820, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Another project is digitally photographing the cemeteries in Hancock, lower Allegheny County and lower Fulton County. Tombstones are deteriorating with the passage of time and in some cases being destroyed by vandals.
Museum officers and directors hold three meetings per year at the Town Hall in Hancock on the last Sunday in April, July and October at
2:00 pm, which is open to all members and the public. Each meeting features a guest speaker who lectures on a historical topic of interest
to Hancock. Refreshments are provided at the conclusion of each meeting. Our members receive a newsletter following each meeting.
Resources are very limited and the historical society relies on the continued generosity of the are residents and organization. Individual, family and life time memberships are available.
Portions of the above were obtained from a news article appearing in the Hancock News, 18 October 2006, prepared by Gem McCarty, Hancock News,
Displays for 2012:
Our museum theme for August, September, and October will be for teachers and students. We will have a very nice display of teachers and students pictures, and also other items of interest. Stop by the museum on the second and fourth Sundays of these three months and check this out.
We are in need of volunteers at both museums. If you can help us in any way please call Don Corbett at 301-678-5171 or Marian Golden at 301-678-6308.
Our meeting for July 22, 2012 will be at the Town Hall meeting room at 2:00 p. m. Our guest speaker will be Linda Heinrich. Her program will be, “Jason’s Helmet,” the true story of a World War ll helmet’s journey home from the Normandy Battlefield. Mark your calendar and visit us for a wonderful program.
Our October meeting is set for October 28, 2012, also at the Town Hall meeting room at 2:00 p. m. This will be a pot luck dinner. This is to celebrate the Hancock Historical Society’s 25th anniversary. We will also present an award for the 2012 “Historian of the Year”.
Volunteers are needed to help keep the museum open. Interested individuals please contact Don Corbett, 301-678-5171
MUSEUM HOURS OF OPERATION
Museum is open April through October on the 2nd and 4th Sunday from 2pm to 4pm. The museum is also open by special request by
writing to Hancock Historical Society, PO Box 164, Hancock, Md 21750 or e-mail at hancockhistoricalsociety@gmail.com
The museum holds quarterly meetings on the last Sunday in April, July, October and hold a Christmas Open House on last Sunday in November. Membership dues are
$10.00 for individual and $15.00 for family membership yearly. Life memberships available for $150.00.
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HANCOCK TOLL HOUSE
Route 144 West
Hancock, Md 21750
Hancock Toll House
William (Moose) Mosier and Officer Mike Ruppenkamp
Councilman Dave Smith and Randy Pittman
Mayor Dan Murphy
Local Historian - Ralph Donnelly
Historical Society President - Don Corbett
Local Resident - Pat Cohill
Lou Close, Town Manager
Betty (Cohill) Tritapoe
One of the last remaing Toll Houses that was associated with the National Road, located approximately 1/2 mile west of Hancock on Maryland Route 144 (formerly US Route 40 - National Road). This Toll House was
operated between Hancock and Cumberland during the early 1800's.
During that time a toll keeper would sit on the porch (has been removed due to close proximity to highway)
while waiting for traffic to come through at which point he raised and lowered a gate which was similar to
a railroad crossing gate. A different fee was charged for various types of persons/animals/wagons that would
use the road.
The Toll House is operated by the Hancock Historical Society and can be viewed free of charge by scheduling
an appointment with the Museum or during the Museum's Christmas Open House. Call 301-678-7377 or
e-mail hancockhistoricalsociety@gmail.com
Property was donated to the Town by Mr & Mrs William (Billy) Dugan and the restoration was accomplished by a $25,000 cash grant from the France-Merrick Foundation and $50,000 cash donation by Mr Stanley E. Fulton, former business person and resident of Hancock, now residing in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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HANCOCK-SIDELING HILL GEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
HANCOCK-SIDELING HILL GEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
42 West Main Street
Hancock, Md 21750
NEW OPERATING HOUIRS
Mon - Tues - Thur - Fri - Sat
10am - 4 pm
Sunday - Noon - 4pm
CLOSED WEDNESDAY
PHONE: 301-678-6236
Alternate # 301-678-5622
Historian - Marian Golden - 301-678-6308
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