Hancock, created on January 15, 1848, is a county located in the farthest north of the U.S. state of West Virginia. Though it may be the smallest county in the state with just a total of 88 square miles, it offers several places to visit for tourists with a taste for history. The National Register of Historic Places lists ten properties located in Hancock County. Below is a brief description for each.

1. First National Bank-Graham Building (listed on November 2, 2000)

• Also known as the Ross building, this historic two story commercial building was built in 1903 and located in the city of New Cumberland.

2. Johnston-Truax House (listed on September 23, 1993)

• A 1 ½ story home built in 1785 and located in the city of Weirton.

3. Marland Heights Park and Margaret Manson Weir Memorial Pool (listed on
November 15, 1993)

• Located in Weirton, this historic park and swimming pool was built in 1934.

4. Marshall House (listed on March 12, 2001)

• Also known as McNeil House, this 2 ½ story historic home located at New Cumberland was built in 1887 by West Virginia State Senator Oliver S. Marshall.

5. James F. Murray House (listed on July 12, 1990)

• Located in the city of Chester, this “L”-shaped blond brick dwelling was built in 1904 and the home of James Murray. This house is also known as Murray- Abrams House.

6. People’s Bank (listed on March 17, 1995)

• Is a small Classical Revival building in Weirton built in 1930.

7. Dr. George Rigas House (listed on April 21, 2004)

• Built in 1936, this five-bay, 2 ½ story house is located at Weirton. It is associated with a local physician named Dr. George S. Rigas.

8. Peter Tarr Furnace Site (listed on January 1, 1976)

• This iron furnace in Weirton was built in the 1790s by a man named Grant who, along with his partner Peter Tarr, established the firm of Connell, Tar & Company.

9. Waterford Park ((listed on December 12, 2002)

• Known today as the Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort, this is a one- mile track located in Newell, WV and opened on May 19, 1951.

10. William E. Wells House (listed on April 23, 2009)

• Built in 1907, this three story Colonial Revival-style dwelling is located at Newell, WV.

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Hancock County School System supplies the educational needs for the new generations.

Hancock County Schools do their best to keep parents informed of their child’s experiences, progress, and development. We provide information about the school day and policies that are necessary in its day to day operation. The goal of the Hancock County School System is excellence, and striving to reach this goal is a cooperative effort on the part of the students, teachers, administrators, parents and community.

Hancock County School System would like parents to become actively involved in school activities and that is why we encourage all of our students to strive for academic excellence, good citizenship, and being an active participant in school activities. Students are expected to demonstrate good conduct and to be responsible for completing class work and all homework assignments. Only with parent cooperation can we continually assist the next generations in obtaining a high quality education. Hancok Country School System encourages parents to take an active role in school activities, to volunteer when possible, and to stay informed about their child’s progress at school, communicating to parents on a regular basis through notices, newsletters, etc.

The Hancock County School System provides a comprehensive program of educational services. The educational environment must be favorable if students are to take full advantage of these opportunities. Good discipline is essential to a productive and meaningful learning environment. The best discipline is self-discipline. To perform as a responsible member of the Hancock student body, students and parents will need to be familiar with the discipline program that has been established to ensure equity and fairness to all students.

Our general purpose is to acquaint students and parents and citizens of the Hancock County School System with regulations governing student conduct.

The specific purpose is to emphasize the importance of:

1. Maintaining an atmosphere for learning that is protected from interruption and harassment;
2. Providing students and parents with regulations of the school system and with information concerning the possible penalties for violations of these regulations;
3. Providing uniformity of approach and disciplinary procedures;
4. Encouraging parents to discuss with children the materials, to help students understand the required behavior in the schools of Hancock County.

Hancock students will have a better educational opportunity when we work together to understand and achieve the goals that will enable us to provide you with an excellent learning environment.

Please find below more information about some of the Hancock County Schools:

1. M.E. Lewis Sr. Bullpups.
Mrs. Stephanie Birdsong, Principal
Ms. Felicia Evans, Assistant Principal
Mrs. Kathy Spikes, Principal’s Secretary
11145 Hwy 15 North
Sparta, GA 31087
Phone: (706) 444-7028 / Fax: (706) 444-0380

2. Hancock Central Middle Bulldogs
Mr. Willie A. Gibson, Principal
Ms. Debra Johnson, Principal’s Secretary
11311 Hwy 15 North
Sparta, GA 31087
Phone: (706) 444-6652 / Fax: (706) 444-5554

3. Hancock Central High School
Mr. Charles Jones, Principal
Mrs. Tanger Ward, Asst. Principal
Mrs. LaPonza Williams, Principal’s Secretary
11311 Hwy 15 North
Sparta, GA 31087
Phone: (706) 444-7009 / Fax: (706) 444-9918

4. Head Start
Dr. Thomas McCain, Interim Director
Ms. Darlene Holliday, Assistant Director
Mrs. Vernelle Henderson, Bookkeeper
79 Boland Street, P.O. Box 88,
Sparta, GA 31087
Phone: (706) 444-6920 / Fax: (706) 444-8373

Hancock County Schools System has been assisting parents for years, providing all of the information that parents need for their children. Contact the School System central offices for further information.

Hancock County Schools Central Office
11311 Hwy. 15 North, P.O. Box 488
Sparta, GA 31087
Phone: (706) 444-5775 / Fax: (706) 444-7026

West Virginia, although small, is a state rich in history, as can be evidenced by their many historical sites and museums.  However, if you’re planning a visit to Hancock County, you may be overwhelmed by the amount of history available for your perusal.  In the interest of providing visitors with a time-saving device to help them get the very best out of their historical trek to this fair hamlet, here is a truncated list of the top five must-see museums (and historical sites) to tackle on your next trip to beautiful and storied Hancock County.

1.  Hancock County Historical Museum.  The site of this museum is also known as The Marshall House, mainly because it was built by Oliver Sheridan Marshall in 1887 and used for many years as the home for this politically influential family, before playing host to exhibits of historical significance to the county.  Stop in (by appointment only) to see photos and artifacts pertaining to the steel industry and other area history, or just swing by to get a glimpse of this excellent sample of Victorian-era construction, erected almost entirely with local materials.

2.  Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center.  Steel was a big part of daily life for the people in this area and as such, it has been much chronicled in the history of the area.  Weirton, in particular, built an entire community around steel.  If you’d like to experience the culture surrounding this industry, you’ll find a cornucopia of primary source materials at this delightful museum.  You can see films of people and places in Weirton taken in the 1930s, ‘40s, and ‘50s, as well as a wealth of photographs.  Also neat to see are high school yearbooks from antiquity and local advertising signage, well preserved.

3.  Campbell Mansion.  Located near Bethany College, this historic home preserves an ages-old area history.  The mansion was built by Scots-Irish immigrant Alexander Campbell starting in 1792 (it wouldn’t be completed until 1840, due to various additions).  Campbell, who embraced both religion and education, included a schoolroom in his home, along with beautiful gardens, to create an environment conducive to study and reflection.  His own study was built in an interesting hexagonal configuration.  This site, a National Historic Landmark, is a must-see for anyone interested in prominent historic homes in the area.

4.  Old Main.  This site, also in Bethany, comprises a large chunk of the college campus, including Commencement Hall, Kirkpatrick Hall, the Academic Parlour, and more.  Although you won’t necessarily encounter “exhibits”, as you would with a traditional museum, the campus itself is like an exhibit, featuring a fine example of gothic architecture common in the collegiate setting (the site was built in 1858).  Many of the gorgeous brick buildings have been restored and rededicated.

5.   Tri-State Genealogical and Historical Society.  Again, this may not be the type of museum you’re used to, as it is actually a non-profit organization devoted to helping people discover their ancestry throughout the tri-state area.  But if you think it’s possible that some of your people passed through at some point, you can make an appointment to sift through a wealth of history on microfilm, microfiche, city records, and so on (some of which is now available online).

Shirley Simpson writes for Holiday Deals where you can plan your next exciting vacation.

The east coast, and the northern states in particular, are well known for housing some of the finest antique-shopping territory in the country.  Not only was the area rife with furniture manufacturers, but prominent and wealthy families were prone to settle around established northern port cities, bringing with them expensive antique furnishings and décor from overseas (or simply importing it in the fashion of the time).  Historic Hancock County, occupying the northernmost section of the West Virginia panhandle, is no exception to this rule, with several antique dealers to be found throughout the area.  But what can you expect to find once you start poking around?  Here are just a few items you may want to keep your eyes peeled for when you enjoy a little light antiquing.

1.  Furniture.  Not only can you expect to find antique European furniture brought to this country through immigration and special order, you may also find high quality, locally-built furniture such as desirable pieces from the Amish (and possibly even Shaker furniture).  Whether you’re in the market for a bedroom set complete with sleigh-bed, armoire, vanity, and chests of drawers; you’re looking for some beautiful, handcrafted wicker-work; or you need a special piece and don’t mind refurbishing, you’ll find a lot of tempting pieces at Hancock County antique dealers.

2.  Quilts.  The east coast enjoys a long and storied history when it comes to the fine art of needlework, from women working to create clothing for families and soldiers, to quilting circles crafting our country’s first flags, to immigrants telling the stories of their heritage the only way they knew how: through stitchery.  The result has been an artistic movement born of function and necessity, but shaped by a desire to bring beauty to everyday life.  Even the Smithsonian has recognized this traditional art-form, and with a little digging, you may just find some fantastic examples of antique quilting.

3.  Steel products.  This region of West Virginia has a strong background in steel work, so there are a lot of interesting historical items relating to this field.  Not only can you look for steelwork produced by the steel factories, but you can find tons of photos and other collectables related to the industry, especially the Weirton Steel Corporation, which at one time employed 12,000 people in the area.

4.  Advertising items.  With hundreds of years of history and thousands of businesses to bolster this east coast community, you’ll find remnants of local businesses in the form of promotional items and actual pieces of brick-and-mortar locations, from signage to adverts to displays.  If you are one of the many collectors who enjoy this type of commercial history, you’ll find plenty to make you happy on your antique shopping trip in Hancock County.  One interesting item: business-related vanity plates, which were a popular product of the steel mills.

5.  Movie memorabilia.  You might not think that Hancock County is a hotbed for Hollywood-style moviemaking, but in fact, it has played host to several movies, including Deer Hunter and the upcoming movie Super 8.  Some of these items may not be considered antique yet, but with a little scouting around, you may be able to find some movie items that will one day fall under the heading of antiquities.

Jamie Ryan writes for Mauritius where you can plan your next exciting vacation.

At Hancock County in West Virginia is the smallest county of the state. But this county has a lot to offer for people who wants to visit this place. Though it’s a small county, there are great places for recreation and shopping to see and experience. You can roam around the place to have a worth-while visit of Hancock County. There are a lot of shopping places there to choose from. You can visit and have a nice shopping experience. They offer great products and have a chance to be a member of their shopping mall like having discount cards, special offers, etc. Shoppers here have a delight of their lifetime like they never have shopped before, seeing products being sold there. It has also all the amenities that a shopper would want to experience. The malls here have a complete array of shops that sells gadgets, appliances, clothes, beauty products, and even groceries.

If you want to experience adventure or just have a relaxing time with your family or friends, go try some recreation stuffs there. You can a have a stroll at parks. The parks here has different ambiance. There are parks there that have playgrounds for kids to play around and does some kiddie stuff there. It is also complete with nice pavilion and play equipment pieces. There are some places that offer camping and kayaking adventure in Hancock County. There are also some golf courses to try out there and see the beautiful scenery there while playing golf. There are spots for recreational activity that will satisfy your adventurous side. By checking out their parks, i\you can do picnicking, mountaineering, swimming, boating, basketball and volleyball. For the kids and teens, they can also go and join some summer camps and met new people and be friends with them. You can also check out their libraries and read nice books, read stuffs about the county’s history, to name a few.

In addition, there are dinner clubs there to check out. It offers nice ambiance, cool music, and they serve really good food. Included in the county are some spas to relax yourself, nice hotels, beauty salons, dress shops, and fast food chains. And fitness centers. If you want to have a relaxing vibe, go visit Hancock County along with your friends and family and feel the nice shopping and recreational offering that they have.

Are you going to visit Hancock, West Virginia and thinking about the places where you could stay and eat? Well, there are actually lots of exceptional food places and lodgings where you could choose from. Deciding on some of them could be really daunting.

The places that you definitely decide on will be base on where you are, what place you prefer, and what kind of food you want and how much of time you have and even your budget. If you need a little help, here are some of them for you:

• Kat and Rosies- Bar and Grill- it is actually 5 miles in the south of Hancock that serves Diner, American cuisines, fast foods and burgers. Whatever you may want to taste, you could surely have them.
• Creek side Creamery Market and Café- It is 6 miles in the southwest of Hancock that serves American cuisines and ice creams. So, you could always get the treat.
• Warm Springs Restaurant- It is 6 miles southwest of Hancock that offers great American cuisines.
• La Luna Wine Bar-It offers great tasty wines and treats that could surely give you the best of what you want.

When you are done with the restaurants, you could now go on with the lodgings in Hancock, West Virginia. Here are some of those that you may get into:

1. River fold Log Homes- It is a bed and breakfast lodgings with secluded four bedrooms, two bath vacation rental that you may get into. Another thing is that, it is located on the banks of the pristine, trout stocked Dry Fork River.
2. Best Western Charleston Plaza Hotel- You could treat yourself for the comfortable accommodations as well as the close proximity to the wealth of Hancock, West Virginia attractions.
3. Class VI River Runners- It provides the world class outfitting in adventure vacations. It has about 28 years of experience in terms of exceptional service, staff, as well as the world class facilities. They are skilled in balancing both fun and adventure together with safety.
4. Pine Mountain Farm- It is a vacation farm which is great for families. You could go on horse back riding, picnic at the pond, trails and many more.

Would you like to enjoy great treats and nice stay in Hancock, West Virginia? Well, looking up and taking those tips mentioned above would be truly a great idea for you to consider.

Do you love history? Are you fond of knowing the history of every thing around you? Well, if you are really keen of collecting histories of anything, then you will surely enjoy taking yourself up to Hancock, West Virginia and get into the historical locations of the place.

Hancock, West Virginia has lots of things to offer and you could surely find what you are up to. So, if you are thinking about the historical locations in Hancock, then here are some of the places where you could go:

• Baker’s Bottom Historic District- It is also known as the Waterford Downs. Its historic sub-functions as the battle site, fortification, storage, sport facility and warehouse. Its current function is the industry, processing, recreation and culture and extraction.
• First National Bank- Graham Building- It is also known as the Ross Building with the historic significance of events and engineering.  Its historic function is all about the government, health care, and a sub-function with business, department store government offices, financial institutions, hospital, post office and more. The current functions in this building are simply all about commerce.
• Helling, Nathan, and Apple Barn- This place’s historic significance is all about events, the architecture and even the engineering. Its area of significance is all about the commerce, architecture and agriculture.
• Johnston- Truax House- This historical place is all about event, engineering and architecture and its significance is certainly about all about the architecture, settlement as well as exploration.
• Maryland Heights Park and Margaret Manson Weir Memorial Pool- this place has been open for entertainment and art deco in late 1920s. It has been owned by the local government. Its historic function is all about recreation and culture.
• Marshall House- This house had become famous due its architectural style which has been designed for Queen Anne since 1975.
• Old Courthouse- Another place where one could get into is the Old courthouse or the Hancock County First Court House with the historic significance of architecture, engineering, information potential architecture and more. It has been standing in the period of 1925, something in which Hancock will be truly proud of in terms of Historical locations.

If you would like to know the historical locations and find how interesting they are, it would always be a very good idea for you to consider going to Hancock, West Virginia now and get yourself enjoying.

Hancock County is a place situated in West Virginia. If you are to visit the place, then your vacation destination is just as good as what you expect it is. You are free to visit the city and its nearby attractions. If you got the perfect timing, you can witness some of the exciting events in the area.

In terms of your shopping and cuisine needs, you can visit some good restaurants, shops and bars to entertain yourself at night. For outdoor adventure, you can go fishing and camping in the nearby lakes and parks or have some visit in the scenic countryside.

Hancock will give you a perfect and memorable experience that you can boast to your friends. There are great occasions to celebrate around the county and festivals that you will surely enjoy. You may not think about Hancock, but it is a hot place to visit.

Hancock, West Virginia is a welcoming and warm place with lots of history and interesting activities to involve in. If you love history then you can go to some of the famous museums in the place such as the Hancock Country Historical Museum.

During summer, the city provides a wide range of festivals that you will surely enjoy. The place is composed of various ethnicities so you can try different cuisines from Japanese, Chinese, Italian and many more. Local arts and also offers unique shopping opportunity for all.

Moreover, if you do not want to spend much, then there are lots of free things for foreign travelers to do in Hancock. Take a look at some of the festivals during summer. The district offers some self guided walking tours and wonderful garden show case in the month of June.

Tomlinson Run State Park is also a good attraction in the county since it offers an authentic rendezvous and the civil war encampment direction situated in northern panhandle, nineteen miles north of Weirton. You can also check the West Virginia Derby happening each month of August. For sure you will enjoy some other attractions that you can find in the county.

West Virginia is known as the land of trout waters and this make the state popular for the white water rafting and other adventurous activities. The Hancock County is one of the best districts that you can find in the state. Adventure aficionados can find this place the haven of their likes and interests.