John Hancock

In honor of the Sesquicentennial (250th birthday) of the United States, the first signer of the Declaration of Independence and President of the Continental Congress, John Hancock, was honored with a street sign.

John Hancock was born in Massachusetts and was a wealthy merchant who traded and imported goods from Great Britain. He opposed the Stamp Act of 1765, boycotted British goods, and supported American independence. In 1780, he was elected the first Governor of Massachusetts.

Alum
Harvard University 1754

The honorary street is outside the building that had been known as the John Hancock Center from 1969-2018. The John Hancock Insurance Company had the naming rights to the building. When the company relinquished the rights and had the name removed, the building name reverted to the street address, 875 North Michigan Avenue.

Other honorary signs related to this site:
Architect: Honorary Bruce Graham Way
Structural Engineer: Honorary Fazlur R Khan Way

Chicago’s Ten Tallest Buildings

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Honorary John Hancock Way

East Delaware Street, between North Michigan Avenue and North Mies van der Rohe Way

 

Approved: 2025

Ward: 02
Alderman: Brian Hopkins
Neighborhood: Magnificent Mile

b. 1737 in Braintree, Massachusetts
d. 1793

Near

875 N. Michigan Avenue (formerly known as the John Hancock Center)

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Updated: September 27, 2026

Source

205802025

CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/john-hancock-way-chicago-skyscraper/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4GFoqEZGg0

The Constitution Center. https://constitutioncenter.org/signers/john-hancock