Founded in 1793, Hancock County was founded by Revolutionary War Veterans. The county seat, Sparta, has a downtown district on the National Historic Trust. In less than a 2 mile stroll, you can see 28 historic buildings from the late 1700’s through mid 1800’s in this district. The Pendleton-Graves house is an excellent example of an urban 19th century residence, the house and barn are all that remain of an original 1820s complex. Thomas Whaley built the house around 1820, and in 1853 Dr. Edmund Pendleton bought the house and added to it to accommodate a large family. Pendleton was one of the first to use cottonseed in the production of fertilizer, founding a company in 1867. He supported the Liberian establishment as a home for freed Africans. R.A. Graves added the Victorian embellishments and established the first commercial bank in Sparta, which opened in 1887. Please use caution when showing!