On Tuesday, May 19th the utility lines across Hancock's historic common vanished and now run underground - offering an unobstructed view of Hancock's Meeting house, vestry, and historic homes for the first time in 88 years.

According to Kurt Grassett, Hancock's Director of Public Works who oversaw the project for the town, work was completed ahead of schedule and entailed the close coordination of three utility companies:  Comcast, Fairpoint, and PSNH. 

Several local contractors with connections to Hancock:  Russell Electric, Mathewson Companies, and Our Town Landscaping performed the electrical work, conduit burial, lawn restoration, and planting of lilacs.

In total, there is more than 5,000 feet of conduit now buried out of sight beneath the common.  All the utility companies required duplication of their conduits to prevent lengthy downtime in the event something was to happen to the primary runs.

The project is funded totally via private donations at no expense to Hancock taxpayers.

Electric lines were first installed in Hancock Village in 1921, and on July 18, 1921 the lights in the village were turned on.  According to The Second Hundred Years, a history of Hancock, it was an exciting day for townspeople and celebrated with a band concert and group singing. 

According to the town history, "Over three hundred cars lined the common and more than three thousand people attended the ceremony. It was a thrilling sight when suddenly Main Street and the common glowed with light turned on by a time clock at 8:09 PM.  The band played the Star Spangled Banner and a new flag was unfurled.  Power for the lights for that night was a gift of the Keene Gas and Electric company."

The burying of the utility lines and the resulting beautification of Hancock's common, is a major component of the improvements for Main St. being led by Hancock's Public Works Department and the town's Village Planning Committee.