What Happened to the Largest House in Boston? (John Hancock Mansion)

Join Ken in This House as we uncover the hidden story of John Hancock's Mansion, once the epitome of luxury in Boston. Discover how America's founding father lived in opulence and how his magnificent home, a symbol of wealth and power, became a forgotten relic of the past. Explore the grandeur, the downfall, and the legacy of Hancock Manor, a story of wealth, politics, and the ever-changing face of Boston.
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[@sheiladickerson5198]

I wish John Hancock's house would have been saved.

[@pmm3112]

I’m from Boston and never knew this!! Thanks!!🙏🏻

[@oltedders]

Ken, you're such a hard worker! Every time I turn around, there is a new This House video. They never seem to disappoint, but we are saddened by the destruction of so many lavish and historically significant mansions. Sic transit gloria mundi. Thanks for all of your hard work. It is appreciated. Happy New Year.

[@carmenm.4091]

Ha! I had no idea. A few days ago I walked the freedom trail, I was standing in front of this place in Boston. Learned something new. Thank you. 🙏🏻

[@jamesstaal673]

There is a near replica of the Hancock Mansion in Boston. Mayor James Michael Curley had it built for himself out on the Jamaicaway. Shamrocks in shutters and all! How did he afford such a home? Bricks and lumber and all kinds of building materials went missing from municipal job sites and city employees got reassigned to his project. The destruction of the Hancock Mansion on Beacon Hill caused an uproar, and the Massachusetts Society for the Preservation of Antiquities was organized as a result, a full century before the demolition of Pennsylvania Station prompted the creation of New York’s Landmark Preservation Commission.

[@whigparty6180]

Thanks. V interesting.

[@jamesstaal673]

@@whigparty6180 I love your channel.

[@adelem432]

Grew up in Boston, and remember the Curley house and the shutters. In the 1960s, it was the Children's Museum before they moved to Congress Street.

[@williamtyre523]

There is also a replica of the house in Ticonderoga, New York, built for the Ticonderoga Historical Society.

[@steveschramko2386]

"Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til it's gone...."

[@jean1959]

My thoughts? Sad these beautiful properies are gone. Thank you .

[@claireburkus8497]

Wold much rather see the original Hancock home on the hill than what is there now…although I lived in Ma. For 15 years…always love the earliest architecture of the area!!

[@K98876]

I remember my Dad would drive to downtown Boston to pay the insurance bill at the original Hancock building. Then years and years later I was at the top of the new Hancock Building at a job interview.

[@starsrhi2335]

GOOD AFTERNOON - So here is a bit a history that many of us never knew. Interesting. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE !!!

[@ThisHouse]

Happy new year!

[@sharonthomas865]

Thank you, Happy New Year

[@adelem432]

Thank you for doing a lost house local to me. Hope to see more Massachusetts houses featured. How about picking someplace in my town, Salem, MA? Loads of this existing Federal mansions, also several houses from the time of the Trials.

[@jennkmaxx]

Wow, I didn’t realize that I’ve been walking around the site of John Hancock’s property countless times 🤩 P.s. I also second the idea of a Boston metro series 😁

[@tomdigangi2722]

The exterior, stone stair case from Hancock's House has been preserved and is still in use at the Jamaica Pond in Boston

[@sharonthomas865]

Thank you for sharing your Video 👍👍

[@toolsteel8482]

At least the structure replacing the Hancock house was elegant in its own right, but it too, destroyed. Sigh . Surprisingly, even in the latter half of the nineteenth century, it was not unheard of to move massive structures such as these. Too bad either house couldn’t be moved a block away. But I enjoy learning about these buildings, thanks again for sharing.

[@StamperWendy]

Yay, Boston! ❤ Thanks, Ken!

[@Linda-pw8gx]

Such a historical house with great importance, they should have kept it

[@nativetexson]

I lived on Mt. Vernon Street at the end of Louisburg Square many years. It's an architecturally rich neighborhood. I am perplexed by the fact the Hancock mansion could not have been moved and why the three Harrison Otis Gray houses survived. Hhhmmm...

[@stevemartin6934]

this is so sad as i love period homes ,,,,,i owned a 1820 Victorian cottage completely restored it and just loved it so sad form when i had tos sell to move so i could take care of my 100 year old mom ,,,but i kept her out of a nursing home and got her to her 102 birthday !!!! now on the hunt for another little Gem !!!!!!!!

[@lawrenceflynn2447]

It’s too bad the Hancock Mansion is gone but Boston is chock full of great historical sites. Ken you should do a documentary on the Green Dragon Tavern. It’s right in that general area and Hancock used to meet there with other revolutionary leaders - and it’s still open for business.

[@MarkKrumm]

That Green Dragon is not the original where Hancock, Adams and Revere would meet... so, great name, but not the original, which was around the corner on Union Street.

[@andrewbrendan1579]

Thoroughly enjoyed this, Ken. Like others I knew the house had been demolished, never knew another house stood there afterward. Sad that both houses are gone, but it's not surprising in light of the situation and I'll say tha the Statehouse does look good with its expansions. I've read the John Hancock like the high life, having a coat with diamond buttons on it. --- Ken, your video has me thinking of a book I read in school many years ago and that you and your viewers may have read also: "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Forbes, the story of a boy who is learning to be a silversmith in Boston at the time of the American Revolution. Excellent book for young and not-so-young readers.

[@SMtWalkerS]

I remember reading "Johnny Tremain"!

[@LJB103]

This was an instance where myths were created. When I was young it was taught the the John Hancock mansion was torn down so there would be an unobstructed view of the House wing of the State House with no mention of the dual mansions that came in between. Excellent video.

[@The_Smith]

Any idea how many square feet the original Hancock mansion was? would be interesting to compare the largest mansion of the time with the average house today. And Happy New Year to Dalton and you.

[@ThisHouse]

Happy New Year! Great question, the main block of the house was about 6,300 square feet. It also had flanking wings. The total square footage is unknown with the wings but most estimates put it right around 10,000 sqft.

[@JamesWilliams-gp6ek]

Quaint little cottage.

[@jefflawrentz1624]

At the very least they should have relocated Hancock’s Georgian mansion. Benjamin Franklin’s home met the same fate in Philadelphia. It’s interesting to see how that house was memorialized in prints after the destruction. Parts of the interior have shown up in auctions in recent years. The United States needs preservation grades like Great Britain. Nice work, Ken!

[@monkeygraborange]

Fun facts: The Hancock mansion wasn’t actually _demolished,_ it was deconstructed because it was so well built that it couldn’t just be knocked down, and I’ve heard stories of various elements being used in other construction projects. Also, as wealthy and influential as Hancock was, he stood a diminutive 5’5”, which was considered small even then.

[@SMtWalkerS]

Wow, that's interesting! Thanks for sharing!

[@SMtWalkerS]

Fascinating history. I love your videos and the little history lessons in each one.

[@williamtyre523]

Thanks for another great video! I remember seeing the plaque on the State House fence noting it as the site of the Hancock house. Glad to learn more about that house, and the opulent mansion that followed before the State House was expanded.

[@mikenixon2401]

Nice story, Ken. Yes, our founing fathers were accustomed to the the finer things. That is why the Constitution is so amazing, it does not favor the wealthy ovver common folk.

[@jilltagmorris]

Thanks Ken ❤

[@robinhumphrey2692]

I love the fireplace!

[@susangerwien1290]

The only thing left from John Hancock’s mansion is the door. It’s in a museum in Boston.

[@rosepelzel4244]

History comes with a price tag ... yes? Happy new year, Ken!

[@ThisHouse]

Happy new year!

[@JosephStJames2000]

Victims of their own success. Great review.

[@ML-xi2rt]

It’s a tragedy that the John Hancock home could not have been saved somehow! It must have been absolutely breathtaking!

[@shannonobrien9922]

You guys need to do Wise Funeral home in Bonham Texas! What a beauty

[@clairwaucaush7225]

They should have done everything they could to save Hancock's mansion. Considering he helped PAY for our fight to freedom!

[@f.michaelbremer-cruz2708]

Thanks for sharing the history of this plot of land. The Brewer Mansion seemed to be best summed as "Too much and not enough". A lot of things capable of collecting dust, displayed in many rooms that were hardly used or enjoyed by anyone--all of which is very likely rotting away in landfills somewhere today. It's far better to see that plot of land used by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as part of their Capitol Complex. One imagines that Mr. Hancock would approve.

[@davidjgill4902]

Hancock Manor survived into the era of photography and there are photographs of it.

[@garygloska7396]

Well guess its ok to hang pearls from the chandeliers more than just christmas time

[@bethbartlett5692]

I'm surprised that his home wasn't recognized as a National heirloom. ... and stretching architecture to the land boundaries to exhibit Ego always has a lasting value ...

[@proudvirginian]

A very appropriate building to occupy the space where his house once stood. I feel like a statesman such as Hancock wouldn't have had it any other way.

[@CuriousEarthMan]

Thanks Ken! I wonder what effects all those hundreds of candles had on the interior of the house over the years, not to mention the lungs of the occupants.

[@haywardgarner4850]

The original house was demolished. The next one got the same respect.

[@robertodalessandro871]

What we can understand from your vídeo it,'s how money can destroy beautifull things just "to produce" more money

[@1aikane]

Yeah, the destruction of this house is a black ball on Boston's record. Hard to conceive they allowed for this to happen

[@garryferrington811]

How about a haunted house? Or, I guess you would save that for Halloween.

[@megb9700]

Dorothy Quincy Hancock’s house (his wife) still stands in Quincy MA. It’s not far from the fancy Adam’s house. I’m trying to figure out when it’s open for visiting.

[@butterfly06830]

Pity about Hancock's mansion.. It should of been saved.................

[@jhbrown1010]

What a shame! I wonder if Hancock's house could be preproduced as an exact copy?

[@egisantoso949]

It should be part of state house

[@sallycolacicco4292]

The other half of the house was owned by James Madison Beebe. Why is this not included in the video?

[@bonniebaird6995]

Should have kept the mansions ..

[@finddeniro]

Replicate ?

[@asylumlover]

ALL THIS EFFING DEMOLITION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@rosameryrojas-delcerro1059]

How gaudy.....

[@TheDavidPdx]

For god sake, take some speach classes.

[@oldfarttravels]

This man even in death had to be the biggest, his Grave stone is th BIGGEST one in the graveyard where he and some other founding fathers and buried in Boston.

[@MarkKrumm]

That monument was erect about 100 years after his death. His charming wife put him in an unmarked grave. Ancestors fixed the injustice years later. And frankly, your characterization of Hancock exhibits your ignorance of all his charitable deeds.