The first Hancock County High School was established in
Hawesville, Kentucky, in 1914. Housed in an
antebellum mansion purchased by the Board of Education, it was described as "a handsome and commodious dwelling, planned for hospitality." Later, the school was split into Lewisport and Hawesville High Schools, but in 1957 the school board purchased 46 acres of land in
Lewisport, and in 1961 the schools were consolidated to the new location known as the
Patch by the Pike. The school was again named "Hancock County High School". In 1973, a new $18 million, 89,000 square foot, single-story brick school building was constructed. Classrooms were designed in a "semi-open space area", shaped like
honey comb, with a large central media-library. The site also featured a new football field and a new gymnasium that could be partitioned for handball courts and wrestling areas. It was designed for 500 students, and the 1961 high school building was converted for Hancock Middle School use. In 2014, the county prioritized major renovations at HCHS, including the construction of 15 new classrooms, at a cost of $7.3 million. In 2016, a group of HCHS students led a drive to raise taxes to pay for replacing the Hancock Middle School facility. For the school year 2020-2021 HCHS enrolled 501 students. In 2021 vice principal Ginger Estes replaced Ashley Gorman as principal. The HCHS "Hornets" mascot displays school colors of red and gray. == Curriculum ==