Welcome to Hanska

Hanska was supposed to be a quick stop on my way from Mankato to Sleepy Eye. I planned to get a few photos of the Liberal Union Hall and be on my way. But I just kept finding more places in town to take photos. Then on my way out of town, I was able to stretch my legs and eat my lunch at Lake Hanska Park. Hanska was the highlight of my day, and an unexpected one at that! Here are some of my favorite places.

Liberal Union Hall

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The Liberal Union Hall in Hanska was constructed in 1910 by the local Liberal Union group as a social and cultural center for the city. The Union was closely affiliated with the Nora Unitarian Church. Support for the construction of the hall came from local contributions and a loan by the American Unitarian Association. The hall was used for both public and church events including dances, plays, concerts, and as a meeting place for community organizations. The Nora Church assumed management of the hall when the Liberal Union was dissolved in 1950. The City of Hanska acquired the building in 1978. Today, the building is used as the Hanska Community Center. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Bjorenberg Garage

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Lawrence Bjorneberg built this service garage in Hanska in 1919. While the building is quite simple, it features three beautiful and unexpected cast concrete bas-relief panels on the upper portion of the front facade. Two of the panels depict a landscape with an automobile as a central element, while the center panel over the main entrance explains the building’s function as a garage. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Hanksa School

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This public school was built in 1914 and later served as a high school until it closed in the 1990s. I can’t find any indication that it has been publicly used since then, but it remains in pretty good condition. Neighbors of the school told me it’s now used for storage.

Lake Hanska Park & Omsrud Cabin

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This log cabin was built on the shore of Omsrud Lake in Brown County around 1857 by Thord Omsrud, an immigrant from Valdres, Norway. The cabin was moved to its present site in Lake Hanska County Park in 1986 by members of the Thordson and Torgrimson families as a memorial to all Norwegian immigrants that settled this part of Brown County.

According to the plaque in Lake Hanska County Park, the lake was named by the Dakota minne hanska meaning long water. The area around the lake was a favorite place of the Dakota. Burial mounds and a well-used trail ran by the lake. There are signs in the park stating that no digging can be done and that it is illegal to remove any American Indian artifacts found there.

More Photos From Hanska

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