Hancock, Maryland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hancock, Maryland
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Main Street in Hancock in 2006
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Location of Hancock in Maryland and in Washington County
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Maryland | ||
| County | Washington | ||
| Incorporated | 1853 | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 3.00 sq mi (7.78 km2) | ||
| • Land | 2.98 sq mi (7.73 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 564 ft (172 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,557 | ||
| • Density | 521.96/sq mi (201.50/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP code |
21750
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| Area code(s) | 301, 240 | ||
| FIPS code | 24-36600 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 2390229 | ||
Hancock is a small town in Washington County, Maryland, in the United States. In 2020, about 1,557 people lived there. This community in Western Maryland is special because it's located at the narrowest part of the state. The distance from the Pennsylvania state line to the West Virginia state line is only about 1.8 miles (2.9 km) in Hancock.
Contents
History of Hancock
Before it was called Hancock, the settlement was known as "William's Town." It was named after William McClary.
The town's current name, Hancock, comes from Edward Joseph Hancock, Jr. He was a soldier who fought alongside George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. People started settling in this area in the 1730s.
During the American Civil War, in January 1862, General Stonewall Jackson tried to take over the town. This event is known as the Battle of Hancock. However, he was not successful, partly because of bad weather.
Geography and Nature
Hancock covers a total area of about 2.75 square miles (7.12 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
As mentioned, the state of Maryland becomes very narrow near Hancock. It's less than two miles (3 km) wide here. This is the smallest distance between borders for any U.S. state, not counting a single point.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal runs right through the town. This historic canal was once used for transportation. Also, the Western Maryland Rail Trail connects Hancock to Fort Frederick State Park. This trail is popular for walking and biking.
Hancock's Climate
The weather in Hancock has hot and humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cool. According to climate experts, Hancock has a humid subtropical climate. This means it gets plenty of rain all year round.
| Climate data for Hancock, Maryland | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 76 (24) |
81 (27) |
93 (34) |
94 (34) |
100 (38) |
98 (37) |
105 (41) |
102 (39) |
103 (39) |
98 (37) |
86 (30) |
77 (25) |
105 (41) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 39 (4) |
43 (6) |
54 (12) |
65 (18) |
74 (23) |
82 (28) |
86 (30) |
84 (29) |
78 (26) |
67 (19) |
55 (13) |
44 (7) |
64 (18) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 19 (−7) |
23 (−5) |
30 (−1) |
38 (3) |
47 (8) |
57 (14) |
62 (17) |
60 (16) |
53 (12) |
40 (4) |
32 (0) |
25 (−4) |
41 (5) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −27 (−33) |
−14 (−26) |
−4 (−20) |
15 (−9) |
26 (−3) |
33 (1) |
40 (4) |
33 (1) |
25 (−4) |
16 (−9) |
8 (−13) |
−19 (−28) |
−27 (−33) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.73 (69) |
2.23 (57) |
3.17 (81) |
3.20 (81) |
4.03 (102) |
3.38 (86) |
3.81 (97) |
3.28 (83) |
3.21 (82) |
3.24 (82) |
3.09 (78) |
2.69 (68) |
38.06 (966) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 9.7 (25) |
8.1 (21) |
5.2 (13) |
0.4 (1.0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
1.5 (3.8) |
4.3 (11) |
29.2 (74.8) |
Getting Around Hancock
_in_Hancock,_Washington_County,_Maryland.jpg)
The main way to travel to and from Hancock is by road. Interstate 70 is the biggest highway that serves the town. I-70 goes east towards Baltimore and west towards the suburbs of Pittsburgh.
U.S. Route 40 also runs through Hancock. It joins I-70 for a bit, then splits off to follow Interstate 68 west towards Cumberland. U.S. Route 522 also passes through Hancock. It goes northwest with I-70 into Pennsylvania and south into West Virginia towards Winchester, Virginia. Inside the town, Maryland Route 144 is a local road that follows Main Street.
People of Hancock
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 931 | — | |
| 1890 | 815 | −12.5% | |
| 1900 | 824 | 1.1% | |
| 1910 | 893 | 8.4% | |
| 1920 | 972 | 8.8% | |
| 1930 | 947 | −2.6% | |
| 1940 | 940 | −0.7% | |
| 1950 | 963 | 2.4% | |
| 1960 | 2,004 | 108.1% | |
| 1970 | 1,881 | −6.1% | |
| 1980 | 1,887 | 0.3% | |
| 1990 | 1,926 | 2.1% | |
| 2000 | 1,725 | −10.4% | |
| 2010 | 1,545 | −10.4% | |
| 2020 | 1,557 | 0.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 1,545 people living in Hancock. These people lived in 694 households. About 28.5% of these households had children under 18 living there.
The average age of people in Hancock was 40.7 years old. About 22.4% of the residents were under 18 years old. Also, 17.9% of the residents were 65 years old or older. The town had slightly more females (52.3%) than males (47.7%).
Famous People from Hancock
Hancock has been home to several notable individuals:
- Robert W. Brady – A teacher and leader at colleges like the College of the Holy Cross and Boston College.
- Ike Powers – A professional baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Athletics.
- Charles H. Rowland – A member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.
- Richard K. Sutherland – A U.S. Army Lieutenant General who was a top assistant to General Douglas MacArthur during World War II.
- William Dorsey Swann – An early American entertainer and activist who worked to defend people's right to assemble and gather peacefully.
See also
In Spanish: Hancock (Maryland) para niños
