Hancock, town in Maryland, United States
Hancock is a small town in Washington County, Maryland, located at the narrowest part of the state where West Virginia and Pennsylvania come close together. Main Street features brick buildings from the early 1800s in Federal and Victorian styles, creating a quiet streetscape with structures that remain mostly unchanged.
Native Americans first crossed the Potomac River at the Great North Bend before European settlers arrived around 1732 to establish the Tonoloway or Williams settlement. Joseph Hancock laid out the town in 1749 and named it after himself, while the Baptist Church founded in 1752 became a cornerstone of early community life.
The town's name comes from Joseph Hancock, an early settler who laid out the town in 1749 and named it after himself. The Baptist Church, built in 1752, and the two historic churches on High Street remain central to how locals understand their community's past and present.
The town is accessible by car from nearby Interstate 70 and US Route 522, which connect to larger cities like Baltimore and Pittsburgh. The restored section of the C&O Canal and the Western Maryland Rail Trail offer walking and biking paths through the area.
Hancock sits at the narrowest point of Maryland, where the borders of West Virginia and Pennsylvania come within about two miles of each other. This geographic oddity makes the town a rare spot where three states nearly converge.
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