Ben Garbacz/Daily Mininggazette The Hancock City Hall's Fire Hall will be transformed into a history museum in the future. The bus garage the city purchased will provide storage for items which are currently occupying space in the Fire Hall.

HANCOCK — The Hancock Historic Preservation Commission met Monday night. It was the commission’s last organizational meeting before first official meeting next month. The commission adopted bylaws and will select a chair and vice chair at next month’s meeting. Members of the commission, so far, are Hancock City Manager Mary Babcock, Michigan Tech Associate Professor of History Steve Walton, Jonathon Nagel of the Hancock DDA, Hancock City Council Member Mandy Lounibos, Carnegie Museum of the Keweenaw Museum Director Elise Nelson and former Keweenaw National Historical Park Superintendent Frank Fiala. The commission in the meantime has work to do and is also in need of two more members to fill vacancies. The commission is returning after an absence of several years.

According to Walton, the goal of the commission is to preserve and interpret the historic fabric of Hancock including museum displays, historic signage, walking tours and historic preservation of the city. He said he joined the commission as a resident with an interest in Honcock’s historical buildings. “One of the odd benefits of being in the Keweenaw is that the historic fabric hasn’t been completely modernized beyond recognition,” Walton said. “And so we have the core of a beautiful historic downtown from 100 to 120 years ago that can, and I think should be, our selling point as a destination — the historic mining, the historic frontier town, and a lot of beautiful, partially preserved and restorable architecture.”

Walton added historic that preservation serves those whose families have lived here for generations.”It’s also introducing our interesting local history to visitors from out of the area who don’t know what an important role we played in national industrial history,” he said.

Commission members are at work tracking down photographs and information for the creation of signs to accompany historic locations throughout Hancock. The commission is doing this similarly to Houghton’s historic signs pointing out their significant buildings. The commission is also considering creating plaques for houses and other buildings signifying when each building was constructed. These projects would come at a cost, and the commission discussed exploring grants to fund the ideas.

A space for a museum will soon be made following the city’s purchase of Hancock School’s old bus garage. Police vehicles are the primary storage items, but there is enough space in the garage to store items in the City Hall’s fire hall room. The plan is to turn the space at City Hall into a museum.

Walton said he is most looking forward to having downtown Hancock recognized as a historic gem. “When people cross the bridge, their eyes light up with the beauty of this old town. Personally, I think it will also be great fun to build out the displays in the museum after we get it set up by the fall and over the winter. I’d also like to say we’re hoping to use the museum space as a community room for things like lectures or maybe readings.”

Walton pointed out there are economic benefits to historical preservation, saying though the commission will not directly be giving out grants, preserved historic fabric opens property owners to historic tax grants if they are in a nationally historical designated area or building.

The first official meeting will be at 6 p.m. Aug.8 in the Hancock City Hall. There will be public comment period where residents can share their thoughts on meeting actions and discussions. The meeting is open to the public.