The City of Hancock, founded in the 1850's by early copper explorers, is a progressive and welcoming City of 4,600 residents on the North shore of Portage Lake, and is the northernmost City in Michigan.

Hancock has beautiful summers and because of its proximity to majestic Lake Superior, it has wonderfully snowy winters. Today, a diverse economy and employment is supported Michigan Tech University, along with the Michigan Tech SmartZone, and Portage Health. Hancock is recognized as the regional center for healthcare, with over 1400 jobs in the City connected to healthcare.

Both summer and winter tourism opportunities abound and the Portage Lake Lift Bridge funnels most area tourists into the main stream of the City.

Combining the traditional economy with the emerging high technology economy broadens our appreciation for the unique area that we are in. With a strong and authentic downtown and active business recruitment, the City is poised for growth while preserving our quality of life for future generations.

The City has also fostered and supported arts and culture as a strong and growing component in the makeup of the City. Hancock is home to the Community Arts Center. Numerous individual art exhibits and shows take place in the City every year highlighting the caliber of local artists and crafts people.

The City of Hancock as a strong Finnish Heritage. With saunas scattered throughout may homes, you will find the Finnish Heritage embedded in our community. With such a strong heritage, it is only natural that we have a sister City in Finland. It is our pleasure to have a sister city relationship with Porvoo, Finland.

Porvoo is the second oldest town in Finland and well over 600 years old. Porvoo was given its charter in 1346 by the Swedish King Magnus Eriksson, but even before that the town had developed into a flourishing trading place, protected by a mighty fortress, near the sea, by the river flowing down from Hame. The ancient fortress, which gave the town its name (Borga "Fortress by the River"). does not exist anymore, but the deep moats that used to surround it, still remain. Porvoo has, however, inherited from former generations the old part of the town with its medieval town plan and also the empire-style part planned by Carl Ludvig Engel in the 1830's.

Click here if you would like to visit our sister city's Web site!