Hancock in Washington County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Hancock
The Busiest Village on the Road
| — | The Road That Built The Nation | — |
“After the exhilaration of a gallop down the mountain without breaks, what appetite would not be set on edge, what refinement of palate displeased by venison cutlets, or even ham and eggs?”
Harper’s Magazine, 1879
By 1840, Hancock was a major stop on the National Road. Here, travelers could prepare for the nearby mountains or rest after the long up and down ride from Cumberland.
As many as sixteen “gayly painted” coaches sporting names like the National Road or Stockton, the Good Intent, People’s and June Bug Stage Lines rolled into town daily. Prancing teams of horses pulled the stagecoaches filled with the famous and common, jostled together by the rough mountain ride. Coaches and wagons were soon replaced by a canal and a railroad. Today, two interstate highways crisscross this narrowest piece of Maryland.
[Sidebar:]
An Interesting, Historic Town
With the advent of the automobile came some of our first travel guides. Robert Bruce traveled the National Road in 1916 in an effort to provide the traveler with thorough maps, good driving directions, and interesting bits of information. “Hancock is a prosperous-looking place…an interesting, historic town,” he noted. Today, his map of Hancock provides us a glimpse into the past. Note the location of the Barton House and the Monterey Hotel in the middle of town.
[Captions:]
Ben Bean put up his sign on the National Road in 1818. His Hancock Stagecoach Inn soon became famous for its "many excellencies." Bean, and after 1853, the Barton Family, entertained a string of famous guests including Davy Crockett, Sam Houston and Daniel Webster.
The Monterey Hotel catered to the early twentieth century "pleasure traveler" along the National Road.
Erected by America's
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Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the The Historic National Road series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1879.
Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 39° 41.9′ N, 78° 10.683′ W. Marker was in Hancock, Maryland, in Washington County. It was at the intersection of Western Maryland Rail Trail and North Church Street, on the right when traveling west on Western Maryland Rail Trail. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 13 E Church St, Hancock MD 21750, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker was in Western Maryland. It was also in the American Mid-Atlantic, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it was in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it found itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location:
Other markers no longer nearby. The National Road (was here, next to this marker but has been permanently removed); a different marker also named St. Thomas Episcopal Church (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Credits. This page was last revised on September 12, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 3, 2008, by Christopher Busta-Peck of Shaker Heights, Ohio. This page has been viewed 2,025 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 25, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
