Highlights from Hancock House's centennial

TICONDEROGA | In Ticonderoga, you'd be hard pressed to find a building as beautiful and charming as the Hancock House. And as the building celebrates its centennial, the future is as bright as it was when the ribbon was first cut. Saturday, Aug. 21, 1926 was a day of jubilation in Ticonderoga. The newly built Hancock House, local son and philanthropist Horace Moses's ambitious gift to the town, opened its doors to the public, marking an entire century of history, 18th century splendor, and an unforgettable first impression to the western entrance of town. An enthusiastic crowd of 3,000 swarmed the building and the surrounding properties, with representatives of the French and British governments, diplomats, locals and visitors united in celebrating the then-unprecedented construction. "I have felt for a long time that the great majority of people through this vast country- even many born and living here- did not realize the great part Ticonderoga and this vicinity played in the early history of our beloved country," Moses is quoted as saying. On another August Saturday of the 22nd, the Hancock House held a birthday open house, welcoming residents and visitors to enjoy and immerse themselves in the little stone palace. The Hancock House is a representation of John Hancock's 1737 colonial mansion in Boston. The Beacon Hill home was a center for activities during the Revolutionary War, with prominent figures like George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette known to pass through its doorway. In building the Hancock House, Moses achieved a lifelong ambition- to establish a museum with a library in Ticonderoga, a feat that would cement the town as a regional focal point for its nationally significant history. "Horace Moses felt very strongly that Ticonderoga had a history that was important to the entire country, and he wanted that celebrated," shared LARCH Managing Director Diane O'Connor. "His vision was the 'Western Gateway' that included all sorts of attractions so the first thing people saw when they came into town would be a lovely landscape highlighted by the Hancock House." For 13 years, the building served as the New York State Historical Association (NYSHA) headquarters. When NYSHA relocated their headquarters to Cooperstown in 1939, the house continued to serve as a museum and library until 1958. It came into Fort Ticonderoga's care for a brief spell but by 1974 it stood vacant, with NYSHA attempting to sell the beloved treasure. Since 1976, the Lower Adirondack Regional Center for History (LARCH, formally the Ticonderoga Historical Society) has assumed ownership of the Hancock House, as well as its endowment, collections, and library. Under LARCH's stewardship, the building has been lovingly maintained as originally designed, with repairs, updates, and renovations performed when needed, and fundraising efforts conducted to ensure the building lacks for nothing. The Hancock House boasts an extensive research library, and continues to grow and expand its exhibits and programming yearly. LARCH has also purchased additional acreage within the Liberty Monument Circle (another gift from Moses) to ensure responsible future preservation and expansion of land that is both historically and environmentally significant. "We would love for our residents, especially those who have never been inside the building, to take advantage and come visit us," invited LARCH staff member Colleen Bessett. The Hancock House has a wealth of knowledge and resources on genealogy, which is very popular. For a complete list of LARCH's 2026 programming and events at the Hancock House, please visit https://larchny.org. Reservations are strongly encouraged for all programs. "Anyone who would like to get involved in the various aspects of the museum, from giving tours to working in the garden, is encouraged to email us at larchny@bridgepoint1.com," O'Connor said.

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Highlights from Hancock House's centennial

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