City of Hancock requests community feedback on proposed museum creation

HANCOCK, Mich. (WLUC) - The city of Hancock is looking to establish a museum in the city hall’s garage space, once the original fire hall.

According to Hancock Planning Commission member Steve Walton, the idea to create a museum isn’t new.

“It’s has been a long-standing hope to have a museum for the city of Hancock,” said Walton. “And the late Deb Mann had tried recently to get a grant to renovate the ground floor of city hall into such a museum. Of course, with her passing, I’ll be taking it on.”

In a survey, the city asked residents to submit feedback on the idea.

Walton says they received over two dozen responses in the first 24 hours.

Given the positive feedback, he also says they will first try to re-establish the Houghton Historical Commission.

“We’ll have some meetings on brainstorming on what to do with the space, probably in March,” continued Walton. “We’ll do some basic renovation downstairs, clean it up, paint the walls, things like that over the winter and hopefully start installing some things in the early summer, hopefully in time for Bridgfest.”

While the plan is to build the museum in this space, it is not set in stone.

Hancock City Manager Mary Babcock said they are still open to alternative locations.

“There is the possibility moving forward that if, during our feedback process and community input, somebody has a location, the historical committee would definitely be looking at that,” said Babcock.

Babcock said while the garage space could become home to the museum, city hall would remain the polling location for the first precinct.

For now, the city is still accepting community feedback. To fill out the survey, click here.

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