Hanover has been an industrious town since it was laid out by Richard McAllister in 1763. Early craftsmen prospered, benefiting from the town's location at an intersection for travelers and settlers moving west during the colonial period. Clockmakers, gunsmiths, silversmiths, coppersmiths, cabinetmakers, and even a niche of coffee mill manufacturers thrived, and their products are highly regarded today. Freight and passenger trains arrived late in the 19th century, resulting in service from both the Pennsylvania and Western Maryland Railroads. The prominent mid-to-late-19th century industries of farm machinery and carriage manufacturing were replaced by a number of cigar and shoe factories, most notably Hanover Shoe. Today, furniture manufacturers, vegetable and snack food processors, power steering, wire cloth, and specialized packaging manufacturers are some of the industries that bring worldwide recognition to this small town. Hanover documents business, social, religious, and educational aspects of the community and its prosperity.