Hancock is a city in
Houghton County in the U.S. state of
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...
. It is across the
Keweenaw Waterway from the city of
Houghton on the
Keweenaw Peninsula. The population was 4,634 at the
2010 census.
The Weather Channel has consistently ranked Hancock as the third-snowiest city in the U.S.
Hancock was named after
U.S. Founding Father John Hancock.
History
The story of Hancock began during the summers of 1847 and 1848, when a small group of
prospectors laboring on a rugged hillside (later named Quincy Hill) discovered a sequence of prehistoric
Ojibwe copper mining pits, stretching out for 100 feet along the local
amygdaloid lode. Upon inspecting one, they realized that the Native Americans were able to take
copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pink ...
in small quantities through these pits. The discovery formed the basis upon which the
Quincy Mining Company was created in October 1848, under a special charter granted by the legislature.
The earliest building in what is now the City of Hancock was a log cabin erected in 1846 on the site of the Ruggles Mining Claim, halfway up atop the hillside; it is no longer standing as the site has been taken up by the Houghton County Garage buildings.
[Alexander, p. 1] It was owned by Christopher Columbus (C.C.) Douglass, who came to live there in 1852. The Quincy Mining Company founded Hancock in 1859 after purchasing the land from Douglass and building an office and mine on the site.
The city was named after
John Hancock, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Hancock's first store was built by the Leopold brothers in 1858; the store also housed the first post office.
Samuel W. Hill, an agent for the
Quincy Mining Company, platted the Village of Hancock in 1859.
On 20 August 1860, Bishop
Frederic Baraga and Reverend Edward Jacker selected lots nine and ten of block eight in the village for the purpose of constructing a church. It was on the northeast corner of what is now Quincy and Ravine Streets. The Quincy Mining Company donated this ground, but for some reason the official paperwork didn't go through for it until 2 July 1875.
In Hancock's earliest days, the village had been within the borders of what is now the
Portage Charter Township, but on 1 April 1861 the area was set off and organized into a new township called
Hancock Township.
The
Portage Stamp Mill was also founded nearby at Portage Lake in 1861.
In 1860, the
Keweenaw Waterway was dredged, widening the then-Portage River to allow more aquatic transportation to Hancock and neighboring
Houghton. The waterway was initially opened to ships in 1859.
Also in 1859 was the debut of the Hancock Mine, later called the Sumner Mine before being renamed the Hancock Mine once more. The mine was on Quincy Hill near both Summit and Franklin Streets in an area that is now part of Finlandia Campus.
On 10 March 1863, the Village of Hancock was officially organized and the first officers were elected in the office of William Lapp, the justice of the peace and a pioneer lawyer. Hervey Coke Parke was elected as the first village president. This is considered the founding date of Hancock.
M.J. McGurrin opened the village's first drugstore in 1865. There were also a few small grocery stores where James Artman sold handmade harnesses. The population of the town may have been about 400, mostly miners who had occupied smaller houses near the vicinity of their workplace, the mines.
On 11 April 1869, Hancock was struck by the worst fire in the community's history when a stovepipe in a local saloon where the post office is now exploded and engulfed the building in flames. It soon spread across the village with the help of a strong west wind. The fire destroyed some 150 buildings, including every store in the village and almost all other businesses, the wooden bridges that had stretched across the ravines, and 120 homes. At the time, Hancock had no fire department or fire equipment. This short-lived fire obliterated three-fourths of Hancock. It took two years to rebuild.
Famously,
Mary Chase Perry Stratton, the founder of the
Pewabic Pottery, survived the 1869 fire without injuries.
On 1 March 1871, in response to the devastating fire of 1869, the Hancock Fire Department was officially organized. In an 1883 publication the fire chief, Archibald J. Scott, stated that the fire department had 2,500 ft of hose on hand and that the water supply was ample.
In 1872 the Hancock and Calumet Railroad (H&C RR) and the Mineral Range Railroad (MRRR) began their operations. The MRRR provided passenger and freight service between Houghton, Hancock,
Dollar Bay and
Calumet.
The Mineral Range's yards were along Portage Lake near Tezcuco Street.
In 1877, Gustave Diemal, an immigrant from
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
and the 1870 sheriff-elect of
Keweenaw County, arrived in Hancock and opened a jewelry and watchmakers shop.
In 1876, Alfred Elieser Backman arrived in Hancock and served as
Copper Country's first pastor of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland ( fi, Suomen evankelis-luterilainen kirkko; sv, Evangelisk-lutherska kyrkan i Finland) is a national church of Finland. It is part of the Lutheran branch of Christianity. The church has a legal positi ...
. He found a divided community of Finnish Lutherans: some were faithful followers of the Church of Finland, and others
Laestadian
Laestadianism, also known as Laestadian Lutheranism and Apostolic Lutheranism, is a pietistic Lutheran revival movement started in Sápmi in the middle of the 19th century. Named after Swedish Lutheran state church administrator and temperanc ...
.
Backman later found the situation too unstable and was replaced by Juho Kustaa Nikander, who arrived in January 1885.
By 1889, four pastors from the Church of Finland were serving Finnish communities in the
Upper Peninsula: Nikander, Jacob Juhonpoika Hoikka (who had served as Nikander's co-pastor), Kaarlo L. Tolonen of
Ishpeming, and Johan W. Eloheimo of Calumet. The four pastors met often and eventually founded the
Suomi Synod
The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (commonly known as the Suomi Synod, ) was a Lutheran church body which existed in the United States from 1890 until 1962.
History
The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (FELC) was ...
on 25 March 1890, though they had conceived the idea as early as November 1889.
Suomi College
Finlandia University is a private Lutheran university in Hancock, Michigan. It is the only private university in the Upper Peninsula. Founded in 1896 as The Suomi College and Theological Seminary, it is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Ch ...
was founded in September 1896 by Nikander, and on 21 January 1900, it completed its first building, now affectionately called
"Old Main" on Quincy Street. As many as 2,000 people traveled to Hancock to see the laying of the cornerstone.
Like a large handful of historic buildings in the city, it is made of
Jacobsville Sandstone
Jacobsville Sandstone is a red sandstone formation, marked with light-colored streaks and spots, primarily found in northern Upper Michigan, portions of Ontario, and under much of Lake Superior. Desired for its durability and aesthetics, the sa ...
and built in the
Richardsonian Romanesque style.
For eight years, Nikander, who served as the college's first president, resided in Old Main.
Also in 1900, the Book Concern of Suomi College was established as the
publishing house of the
Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.
In 1898, the
Quincy Smelter
The Quincy Smelter, also known as the Quincy Smelting Works, is a former copper smelter located on the north side of the Keweenaw Waterway in Ripley, Michigan. It is a contributing property of the Quincy Mining Company Historic District, a Na ...
was constructed in nearby
Ripley
Ripley may refer to:
People and characters
* Ripley (name)
* ''Ripley'', the test mannequin aboard the first International Space Station space station Dragon 2 space test flight Crew Dragon Demo-1
* Ellen Ripley, a fictional character from the Al ...
,
Franklin Township, to serve the industrious Quincy Mine. The smelter was built on a site formerly held by the Pewabic Mining Company, which the Quincy had absorbed in 1891. In 1893 both the H&C RR and the MRRR were administered by the
Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railroad (DSA).
On 28 August 1896 the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hancock was
struck by lightning, which killed the assistant pastor and then-recently appointed Suomi College instructor Jooseppi Riippa after he had just dismissed 50 children because of the severe weather.
The Houghton County Street Railway Company (renamed in 1908 the Houghton County Traction Company) also offered street car service from Houghton through Hancock to Calumet,
Laurium,
Mohawk,
Hubbell, and
Lake Linden, beginning in 1902.
In fall of 1902 the
Kerredge Theatre
The Kerredge Theatre was a theatre located in the 1st block of East Quincy Street in Hancock, Michigan, next to the Scott Hotel. It was built by William and Ray Kerredge and completed by Fall 1902. The theatre hosted many vaudeville groups and cou ...
was completed by William and Ray Kerredge in response to the wildly popular
Calumet Theatre.
Hancock was officially incorporated as a city on 10 March 1903 and subsequently divided into four wards. The then-incumbent village president Archibald J. Scott was elected the city's first mayor.
After having broken ground for the construction process in August 1903, on 5 June 1904 the St. Joseph's Medical Center was dedicated in a public ceremony. Built with brick and local
Jacobsville sandstone
Jacobsville Sandstone is a red sandstone formation, marked with light-colored streaks and spots, primarily found in northern Upper Michigan, portions of Ontario, and under much of Lake Superior. Desired for its durability and aesthetics, the sa ...
, the new complex was five stories high and of
Renaissance style architecture. The entryway was completed at a cost of $78 000 plus $21,396 for necessary equipment.
In 1906, the
Scott Hotel on East Quincy Street was completed.
A year later, the
Copper Country Limited line of both the
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad and the
Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway, began operations. The line went to
Calumet in the north, through Hancock, connecting the Keweenaw to
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...
, where it began.
In 1906, the
Scott Hotel, adjacent to the previously erected Kerredge Theater, was built and named after the prominent city businessman and mayor Archibald J. Scott. The Scott Hotel was constructed as a symbol of Hancock's size and importance.
In 1906, the Hancock Mine expanded its operations and sank the No. 2 vertical shaft.
In 1913, the Scott Hotel was host to the high-profile
kidnapping, shooting, and beating of
Western Federation of Miners President
Charles Moyer
Charles H. "Charlie" Moyer (1866 – June 2, 1929) was an American labor leader and president of the Western Federation of Miners (WFM) from 1902 to 1926. He led the union through the Colorado Labor Wars, was accused of murdering an ex-govern ...
and his bodyguard Charles Tanner at the hands of members of the local
Citizens' Alliance
Citizens' Alliances were state and local anti- trade union organizations prominent in the United States of America during the first decade of the 20th century. The Citizen's Alliances were closely related to employers' associations but allowed ...
in the Keweenaw and Houghton County Sheriff's Department. This was in response to his pleas to Governor
Woodbridge N. Ferris and President
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...
for proper investigations into the
Italian Hall Disaster. The kidnapping, beating, and subsequent "deportation" to
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
by officials of the area has cemented its place in local memory.
Before
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, around the time of the tempestuous
Copper Country Strike of 1913–14, the city population had dropped from its all-time high of 8,981 to 7,527, as many families moved away with the heads of their households to seek a means of living in the factories of
Lower Michigan
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Lower Michigan – is the larger, southern and less elevated of the Geography of Michigan, two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; the other being the Upper Peninsula of Mic ...
and
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
or in other
copper mines in
Montana.
Hancock received its second hospital in March 1917, a Finnish hospital called ''Suomalainen Sairaala''. It was also called the Hancock Bethany Hospital, and later known as Dr. Henry Holm's Hospital.
In 1917 the old First Congregational Church of Hancock, on the corner of Quincy and Tezcuco Streets, burned down. In 1921, the new First Congregational Church of Hancock was completed, though services had begun after breaking ground in 1919.
Misfortune came to Hancock after the
financial crash in 1929 as mines began to close for lack of a profitable market. Copper at the time sold for only five cents a pound.
The
Quincy Mine closed in 1931, and neighboring mines closed the next year.
By 1934, one third of the families in Houghton County were seeking aid through relief programs. The Quincy Mine resumed its operations in 1937, but discontinued them in 1946, one week after
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
surrendered in 1945, ending
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
.
By 1949 the facilities of St. Joseph's Hospital were no longer adequate to meet the needs of the population, and through funds from the
Hill-Burton Act and lavish contributions of hospital benefactors, the new St. Joseph's Hospital facility on Michigan Street was assembled. The new building was dedicated on 29 July 1951 by Bishop Thomas L. Noa of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette. The first patients moved in on 27 August 1951.
On 29 May 1959 the historic Kerredge Theater, the counterpart to
The Calumet Theatre
The Calumet Theatre is a historic theatre located at 340 Sixth Street in the town of Calumet, Michigan. It is also known as the Calumet Opera House or the Calumet Civic Auditorium. It is integral to, but a separate unit of, the Calumet municipal ...
, burned to the ground.
Joint preparations with Houghton were carried out in 1963 to install a sewage disposal plant to prevent the contamination of Portage Lake.
During the
United States Bicentennial in 1976, then-Finnish President
Urho Kekkonen visited the Hancock area and entirely filled the
Michigan Technological University ice arena when he gave his official address to the local Finnish-American community.
In 1990, a rundown former Catholic church on Quincy Street was renovated extensively with traditional
Finnish architectural styles and officially became the Finnish-American Heritage Center.
Geography
The City of Hancock is further north than
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...
in
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirte ...
, Canada.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water.
Hancock is connected to
Houghton by the
Portage Lake Lift Bridge, which crosses the dredged
Keweenaw Waterway. The Keweenaw Waterway effectively slices the
Keweenaw
The Keweenaw Peninsula ( , sometimes locally ) is the northernmost part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It projects into Lake Superior and was the site of the first copper boom in the United States, leading to its moniker of "Copper Country." As ...
in two. Both Houghton and Hancock are on 500-foot bluffs.
The city is bounded on the south by the Portage Canal, parts of
Quincy,
Hancock and
Franklin Townships; on the east by West Ripley; and on the north by Quincy and
Hancock Townships. Other communities that share a border with Hancock include
Ripley
Ripley may refer to:
People and characters
* Ripley (name)
* ''Ripley'', the test mannequin aboard the first International Space Station space station Dragon 2 space test flight Crew Dragon Demo-1
* Ellen Ripley, a fictional character from the Al ...
and Arcadian Location.
Climate
Hancock has a
humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...
, with long and snowy winters and much
lake effect snow
Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when a cold air mass moves across long expanses of warmer lake water. The lower layer of air, heated up by the lake water, picks up water vapor from the lake and rises up through ...
. It is the third-snowiest city in the United States, the snowiest city in the
Midwestern United States, and the snowiest city in the
Eastern United States, with snowfall averaging 211.7 inches per year. The city is along the Keweenaw Peninsula. In 1978–79, a whopping 390 inches of snow fell in Hancock. Accumulating snow has been known to fall as late as early June here.
Attractions
Historic sites
* The 1899 historic,
NRHP-listed and
Michigan State Historic Site Hancock Town Hall and Fire Hall
The Hancock Town Hall and Fire Hall is a public building located at 399 Quincy Street in the Quincy Street Historic District in Hancock, Michigan, United States. It is also known as the Hancock City Hall. It was designated a Michigan State Hist ...
on Quincy Street is certainly a local landmark of sorts. The red block used to construct the building is
Jacobsville Sandstone
Jacobsville Sandstone is a red sandstone formation, marked with light-colored streaks and spots, primarily found in northern Upper Michigan, portions of Ontario, and under much of Lake Superior. Desired for its durability and aesthetics, the sa ...
, a locally quarried stone from the town of
Jacobsville.
*
Old Main, the first building of Suomi College (now Finlandia University), which is recognized as nationally historically significant.
* The birthplace of
Mary Chase Perry Stratton, the founder of the
Pewabic Pottery, is now called the Pewabic House and operates as a museum. The building is also known as the Perry-Stratton House.
* The six surviving
Quincy Mining Company houses on Hillside, Sampson, Roosevelt, and White Streets.
* The
Scott Hotel, one of the preeminent hotels of the
Upper Peninsula, which served as the setting for much of the Upper Peninsula's and the
Keweenaw Peninsula's historic events. Many performers who played at the neighboring former
Kerredge Theatre
The Kerredge Theatre was a theatre located in the 1st block of East Quincy Street in Hancock, Michigan, next to the Scott Hotel. It was built by William and Ray Kerredge and completed by Fall 1902. The theatre hosted many vaudeville groups and cou ...
, which burned in 1959, stayed at the Scott Hotel. The Hotel was also witness to the kidnapping of
Western Federation of Miners trade union
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ...
President
Charles Moyer
Charles H. "Charlie" Moyer (1866 – June 2, 1929) was an American labor leader and president of the Western Federation of Miners (WFM) from 1902 to 1926. He led the union through the Colorado Labor Wars, was accused of murdering an ex-govern ...
and his counterpart-bodyguard Charles Tanner during the close of the
Copper Country Strike of 1913–14.
Points of Interest
* The Copper Country Community Arts Center on Quincy Street is host to three galleries, the Kerredge Gallery, the Youth Gallery, and the Artist Market Sales Gallery. Together the galleries portray the works of more than 170 local and regional artists.
* The Detroit & Northern Savings and Loan Association building on Quincy Street, the city's only
high-rise building.
* The Finlandia Reflection Gallery in the Jutila Center on Michigan Street has a display of various artwork from students of the University's International School of Art & Design program.
*
Finlandia University
Finlandia University is a private Lutheran university in Hancock, Michigan. It is the only private university in the Upper Peninsula. Founded in 1896 as The Suomi College and Theological Seminary, it is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Ch ...
, the only
private university
Private universities and private colleges are institutions of higher education, not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. They may (and often do) receive from governments tax breaks, public student loans, and grant (money ...
in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and the only operating university in the U.S. founded by Finnish immigrants.
* The Finnish-American Heritage Centre and Finnish-American National Historical Archive, the most comprehensive collection of
Finnish-American
Finnish Americans ( fi, amerikansuomalaiset, ) comprise Americans with ancestral roots from Finland or Finnish people who immigrated to and reside in the United States. The Finnish-American population numbers a little bit more than 650,000. Man ...
history on record, as well as museum, cinema, art gallery, home of the ''Finnish-American Reporter'' newspaper, an honorary consulate of the
Republic of Finland, and a Keweenaw Heritage Site of the
Keweenaw National Historical Park.
* The
Houghton County Marina is in Hancock and has 44 seasonal and 10 transient ships operating annually. The marina also offers an option for boating, as well as a view of the
Portage Lake Lift Bridge, which connects the city to Houghton.
* Just outside of Hancock atop Quincy Hill lie the remnants of the
Quincy Mine, with most of the major parts of the complex acting as contributing sites of the
Keweenaw National Historical Park. Among the remaining structures is 1918 Nordberg Steam Hoist, the world's largest steam-powered hoist engine, which once lowered the copper miners into the depths of the mine's Shaft No. 2. Visitors may also experience a ½ mile underground portion on a tour of the Quincy by entering an
adit through the side of Quincy Hill.
* Temple Jacob, the only
synagogue in the
Copper Country, is on Front Street.
* The Turquoise Art Gallery, established in April 2003, is host to many national and international exhibitions annually.
* The headquarters of Vollwerth's, an Upper Peninsula-based sausage manufacturer, is on Hancock Street. The company was founded in 1915 in the Hancock basement of the German immigrant Richard Vollwerth. Since then, it has regionally been acclaimed as the "King of Meats".
Recreation
* One mile west of Downtown Hancock on
M-203 is the Hancock Recreation Area on the shores of Portage Lake. It is over 28 acres in size and is considered one of the best campgrounds in the
Upper Peninsula.
*
Mont Ripley
Mont Ripley is a ski hill located in Franklin Township, Houghton County, Michigan, Franklin Township, Houghton County, Michigan, Houghton County, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The site is just outside the cities of Hancock, Michigan, Hancock and ...
in the town of
Ripley
Ripley may refer to:
People and characters
* Ripley (name)
* ''Ripley'', the test mannequin aboard the first International Space Station space station Dragon 2 space test flight Crew Dragon Demo-1
* Ellen Ripley, a fictional character from the Al ...
, a neighboring community, is a popular ski area for locals. It is Michigan's oldest ski resort.
Shopping and restaurants
*Fin Pro on Quincy Street, which provides potential customers with a wide range of appliances for one's
sauna.
*Gemignani's Italian Restaurant, which has served the area's population since 1982.
*The Keweenaw Co-op Natural Foods and Groceries on Ethel Avenue has served the area in traditional ways since 1973.
*Peterson's Fish Market and Four Suns Fish & Chips Outdoor Café, one of the major suppliers for restaurants in the
Keweenaw
The Keweenaw Peninsula ( , sometimes locally ) is the northernmost part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It projects into Lake Superior and was the site of the first copper boom in the United States, leading to its moniker of "Copper Country." As ...
as well as the northwestern
Upper Peninsula, can be found within the northern boundaries of Hancock off of
US-41
U.S. Route 41, also U.S. Highway 41 (US 41), is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, ...
. It is a year-round market with both fresh and smoked fish, as well as a seasonal café.
People and culture
Finnish-American culture
Hancock has been called "the focal point of
Finns in the United States. Many Finns settled in Hancock because the forests, the lakes, and the clear blue skies reminded them of home.
In Hancock, about 40% of the population claimed
Finnish ancestry in the most recent federal census. Since 1983, Hancock has had an active Finnish Theme Committee entrusted with preserving the region's Finnish heritage.
In recognition of the
large number of Finns in the area, some street signs in Hancock are written in both English and
Finnish.
Festivals
Hancock hosts an annual midwinter festival called ''
Heikinpäivä'' (''Henry's Day'') in mid-January, celebrating the feast day of
Saint Henrik of Uppsala, the patron saint of
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bot ...
, and
Heikki Lunta. Heikinpäivä includes a traditional
wife-carrying
Wife carrying ( fi, eukonkanto or akankanto, et, naisekandmine, sv, kärringkånk) is a contest in which male competitors race while each carrying a female partner. The objective is for the male to carry the female through a special obstacle tra ...
competition.
Every June, Hancock and Houghton host a festival known as Bridgefest to commemorate the building of the
Portage Lake Lift Bridge, which united both the communities of
Copper Island and those in the southern portions of the
Keweenaw Peninsula.
Also held in June is the Keweenaw Chain Drive Festival.
The Keweenaw Trail Running Festival takes place each July.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2010, there were 4,634 people, 1,882 households, and 934 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was . There were 2,111 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.7%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 1.2%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 1.0%
Native American, 1.7%
Asian, 0.1%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.1% from
other races, and 1.3% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.
There were 1,882 households, of which 21.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.4% were
married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 50.4% were non-families. 37.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.90.
The median age in the city was 34.1 years. 16.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 21.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.8% were from 25 to 44; 21.5% were from 45 to 64; and 19.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2000, there were 4,323 people, 1,769 households, and 902 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was . There were 1,983 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.0%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 0.8%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.9%
Native American, 1.1%
Asian, <0.1%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.2% from
other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. 0.8% of the population were
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race. 32.2% were of
Finnish, 14.4%
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
, 8.2%
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ...
, 5.3%
Italian, and 5.2%
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
ancestry according to
Census 2000. 94.4% spoke
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ...
and 4.4%
Finnish as their first language.
There were 1,769 households, out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% were
married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.0% were non-families. 38.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.0% under the age of 18, 18.0% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,118, and the median income for a family was $36,625. Males had a median income of $27,090 versus $22,150 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $16,669. About 6.9% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over.
Neighborhoods
The
East Hancock neighborhood is part of the city and consists of many old Victorian-style houses which were once owned by mining company officials.
Doctors' Park is a neighborhood in West Hancock near the former Portage View Hospital Building (now the Jutila Centre of
Finlandia University
Finlandia University is a private Lutheran university in Hancock, Michigan. It is the only private university in the Upper Peninsula. Founded in 1896 as The Suomi College and Theological Seminary, it is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Ch ...
). It lies north of West Quincy Street.
The
Quincy Street Historic District encompasses the center of Hancock's downtown, covering the 100, 200, and 300 blocks of Quincy Street.
UP Health system operates a Hospital with a Level 3 Trauma Center at 500 Campus Drive Hancock, MI 49930 called the UP Health System - Portage.
Sports
The 2004 Professional Walleye Trail Championship Tournament was held partly in the city.
[
]
Parks and recreation
Bicycling
The Jack Stevens Rail Trail runs through Hancock and continues 14 miles north to Calumet on a now-abandoned Soo Line Railroad grade.
Snowmobiling
The Keweenaw Trail or Trail 3 is the main snowmobiling
A snowmobile, also known as a Ski-Doo, snowmachine, sled, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, or snow scooter, is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. It is designed to be operated on snow and ice and does not ...
route to and from Houghton and Hancock. It connects to other nearby trails, including the North and South Freda Trails, which lead to Lake Superior, and the Stevens Trail, which goes to Calumet.
Education
Public education
Elementary-school students attend the Gordon Barkell Elementary School (formerly Hancock Elementary School), middle school students Hancock Middle School and high-school students Hancock Central High School. Hancock Central High and Hancock Middle School are now connected.
Higher education
Hancock is the home of Finlandia University
Finlandia University is a private Lutheran university in Hancock, Michigan. It is the only private university in the Upper Peninsula. Founded in 1896 as The Suomi College and Theological Seminary, it is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Ch ...
(formerly Suomi College). Suomi College was founded in 1896 by the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. In the 1880s large numbers of Finns immigrated to Hancock to labor in the copper and lumber industries. One immigrant, mission pastor J. K. Nikander of the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, headquartered in Hancock, wanted to ensure seminary training in America. He had observed that Swedish and Finnish immigrants along the Delaware River did not train new ministers, and he feared a loss of Finnish identity. In 1896 Nikander founded Suomi College. The college's role was to preserve Finnish culture, train Lutheran ministers and teach English. During the 1920s Suomi became a liberal arts college. In 1958 the seminary separated from the college. Four years later the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America merged with other mainstream Lutheran churches. The cornerstone of Old Main, the first building erected at Suomi College, was laid on May 30, 1898. Jacobsville sandstone
Jacobsville Sandstone is a red sandstone formation, marked with light-colored streaks and spots, primarily found in northern Upper Michigan, portions of Ontario, and under much of Lake Superior. Desired for its durability and aesthetics, the sa ...
, quarried at the Portage Entry of the Keweenaw waterway, was brought there by barge, cut, and used to construct Old Main. Dedicated on January 21, 1900, it contained a dormitory, kitchen, laundry, classrooms, offices, library, chapel, and lounge. The college quickly outgrew this building, and in 1901 a frame structure, housing a gym, meeting hall, and music center was erected on an adjacent lot. The frame building was demolished when Nikander Hall, named for Suomi's founder, was constructed in 1939. The hall was designed by the architectural firm of Saarinen and Swanson, which employed the world-renowned Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen
Eero Saarinen (, ; August 20, 1910 – September 1, 1961) was a Finnish-American architect and industrial designer noted for his wide-ranging array of designs for buildings and monuments. Saarinen is best known for designing the General Motors ...
.
Several parts of the campus of Michigan Technological University are also in Hancock, including a former MTU "underground classroom" in the Quincy Mine.
Transportation
Highways
* courses north on a scenic drive to Calumet and Copper Harbor
Copper Harbor is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located in Keweenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located within Grant Township. The population of the CDP was 136 as of the 2020 census.
The communit ...
. To the south and east U S41 routes to Houghton and Marquette. Also on US 41 is the Copper Country Trail National Scenic Byway.
* routes north to Hubbell, Lake Linden and Laurium, Michigan. Before reaching its ending in Copper Harbor, M-26 follows a winding, scenic stretch along Lake Superior
* serves as a connector to McLain State Park.
Intercity bus
Indian Trails
Indian Trails, Inc. is an inter-city bus company based in Owosso, Michigan, with offices in Romulus (in Metro Detroit) and Kalamazoo.
History
Indian Trails was founded in 1910 in Owosso as the Phillips-Taylor Livery Service, whose main busi ...
bus lines operates a terminal at the Shottle Bop Party Store, 125 Quincy Street. The service runs between Hancock and Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...
. Until January 31, 2007, this was operated by Greyhound Bus Lines.
Public transportation
In the very late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Houghton County Traction Company ran a trolley system with service from Houghton, through Hancock, and on to other destinations, with the other boundaries being Hubbell to the northeast and Mohawk to the far north. The Mineral Range Railroad also historically served the city.
Hancock Public Transit operates a demand bus which will take riders to anywhere in Hancock, Houghton, or Ripley
Ripley may refer to:
People and characters
* Ripley (name)
* ''Ripley'', the test mannequin aboard the first International Space Station space station Dragon 2 space test flight Crew Dragon Demo-1
* Ellen Ripley, a fictional character from the Al ...
. The service is headquartered on Quincy Street. Checker Transport also provides service to the Hancock area from a satellite office in the region, though the main office is in Marquette.
Notable people
* Herb Boxer
Herb Boxer (born June 4, 1947) is an American retired ice hockey winger. Boxer was the first U.S.-born player drafted to the NHL, when he was drafted in the second round (17th overall) by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1968 NHL draft.
Professio ...
, hockey player
* Anders Brännström
Major General Anders Karl Oskar Brännström (born 28 February 1957) is a retired Swedish Army officer. He has served in Cyprus, Kosovo and Afghanistan and been commanding officer of Jämtland Ranger Regiment. Brännström's senior appointments ...
, general of the Swedish Army
* John P. Condon, Major general, USMC
* Paul Coppo
Paul Francis "Racket" Coppo (November 2, 1938 – June 2, 2022) was an American ice hockey player. He was a member of the United States's 1964 Winter Olympics team. He would go on to play with the Green Bay Bobcats of the United States Hockey ...
, Olympic and professional hockey player
* Jill Dickman
Jill Dickman is an American businesswoman and politician. She serves as a Republican member of the Nevada Assembly and represented Assembly District 31.
Early life
Jill Dickman was born in Hancock, Michigan. Jill's grandparents emigrated from R ...
, Republican member of the Nevada Assembly
* Ralph Heikkinen, football player
* Dwight Helminen, hockey player
* Verna Hillie Verna or Virna may refer to:
People
* Verna Aardema (1911–2000), American author of children's books
* Verna Bloom (1939–2019), American actress
* Virna De Angeli (born 1976), Italian former sprinter
* Virna Dias (born 1971), Brazilian retired ...
, actress
* Matt Huuki, politician
* Tanner Kero
Tanner James Kero (born July 24, 1992) is an American professional ice hockey player for the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League (AHL). He has formerly played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas ...
, hockey player
* Ike Klingbeil, hockey player
* Michael Lahti, politician
* Robbie Laing, college basketball coach
* Joseph Linder, hockey player; called the "first great American-born hockey player"
* Louis Moilanen, Finnish giant
* Eddie Olson
Edward F. Olson (January 1, 1922 – February 10, 1995) was an American ice hockey player, born in Hancock, Michigan. He was one of nine brothers from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, all of whom played college, amateur, pro or Olympic hockey.
O ...
, hockey player
* Rodney Paavola
Rodney Earland Paavola (August 21, 1939 – December 3, 1995) was an American ice hockey player.
Paavola was of Finnish descent. He played football in high school for the Hancock Bulldogs. He won a gold medal at the 1960 Winter Olympics
...
, hockey player, won gold medal at 1960 Winter Olympics
* Bruce Riutta
Bruce Henry Riutta (October 14, 1944 – January 24, 2012) was an American ice hockey player. He competed at the 1968 Winter Olympics
The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games (french: Les Xes Jeux olympique ...
, hockey player
* Rent Romus, saxophonist, bandleader, composer, and record producer
* John D. Ryan, industrialist and copper mining tycoon
* Peter Shaw, actor
* Mary Chase Perry Stratton, ceramic artist and co-founder of Pewabic Pottery
Sister cities
Hancock is the sister city
A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there are early examples of inter ...
of Porvoo, Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bot ...
.
References
Sources
*
*
*
* Kaunonen, Gary, ''Challenge Accepted: A Finnish Immigrant Response to Industrial America in Michigan's Copper Country.'' East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University Press, 2010.
*
*
External links
City of Hancock
Hancock Public Schools
{{Authority control
Cities in Houghton County, Michigan
Houghton micropolitan area, Michigan
Populated places established in 1846
1859 establishments in Michigan
Populated places established in 1859
Finnish-American culture in Michigan