Hancock House (Ticonderoga, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hancock House
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Hancock House, Ticonderoga (rear view)
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Montcalm and Wicker Sts., Ticonderoga, New York |
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| Area | 1.4 acres (0.57 ha) |
| Built | 1925–1926 |
| Built by | Edward F. Minor |
| Architect | Max H. Westhoff |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Georgian Revival |
| MPS | Ticonderoga MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 88002197 |
| Added to NRHP | November 15, 1988 |
The Hancock House is a special building in Ticonderoga, New York. It's a copy of the original Hancock Manor, which used to stand on Beacon Hill in Boston. That first house belonged to Thomas Hancock, who was the uncle of John Hancock. John Hancock was a very important person, known as a Founding Father of the United States.
A kind person named Horace A. Moses had the Hancock House built. He wanted it to be a place where "American Traditions in History and the Fine Arts" could be kept safe. The New York State Historical Association used it as their main office for many years. The house was built between 1925 and 1926. It is a large, four-and-a-half-story building made of granite. It has a special roof called a gambrel roof, covered in slate. The Hancock House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
Contents
The Story of Hancock House
Who Built the Hancock House?
Horace Augustus Moses was born in Ticonderoga. He became very rich by creating a large paper company called Strathmore Paper Company. As he earned more money, he gave a lot back to his hometown. He helped fund many projects in Ticonderoga. These included the Valley View Cemetery Chapel and the Moses-Ludington Hospital.
One of his biggest dreams was to create a museum and library. He wanted Ticonderoga to be a key place for people interested in the area's history. The Hancock House helped him achieve this goal.
What is the Hancock House Today?
The Hancock House Museum and Research Library first opened in 1926. Today, the Ticonderoga Historical Society takes care of the building. They run it as a museum and a library for the region. You can find many interesting exhibits throughout the Hancock House.
The library has a huge collection of materials about the local area. This includes information on community life and the economy. It also has one of the largest collections of family history resources in the region.
How Was the House Built?
The Hancock House was built using Weymouth granite. This is the same type of stone used for the original Hancock Manor in Boston. The builders used old drawings made by John Sturgis. These drawings were made before the original house was torn down in 1863. That old house was removed to make space for new buildings.
The main hall, the stairway, and two rooms on the right side of the hall are exact copies. They look just like those parts of the original Hancock Manor.
Exploring the Collections
What Can You Research at the Museum?
The museum focuses on the history of Ticonderoga. It has a large collection of old photographs, handwritten documents, and historical objects. You can also find many books about the area. The museum is a great place to learn about your family history. It has census information and old newspaper articles.
What's in the Library?
The library holds about seven thousand books. Most of these books are about the history of New York State. There's a special focus on the areas around Lake Champlain, Lake George, and the Adirondack Mountains.
Some of the materials you can find there include:
- Old editions of the Ticonderoga Sentinel newspaper (from 1874 to 1982, on microfilm).
- Census records for Vermont and Essex County, New York (on microfilm).
- New York State Federal Census records (from 1790 to 1820, on microfilm).
- Vermont Vital Records (from 1760 to 1870, on microfilm).
- Cemetery records for Ticonderoga and nearby towns.
Images for kids
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Hancock House, front view, December 2011
