Another Look at Hanks
Clif Nelson contributed these photos of Hanks, North Dakota, a near-ghost town in Williams County — population one.
Clif’s comments: “It was never much of a town, but they had coal mines north of town and grain elevatorsin the early 1900′s. My Grandfather Anton Nelson who farmed about 7 miles northwest of Hanks would haul a load of grain in and haul coal home from the mines just north of the town of Hanks. They had a bank at one time, and a store plus I’ m sure other businesses. The school became a museum of which I have pictures included… My Uncles farmed the old Nelson homestead so we used to visit a lot out there from the late 40′s and on. My children and family used to frequent the Museum when we would visit the Uncles in the late 70′s and early 80′s. It was quite a museum and how long it has been closed now I have no idea.” More of Clif’s comments are included as captions below.
It’s interesting to note the presence of the former Bonetraill school and the Zahl depot in Hanks. It’s quite common for structures to be moved from a vanishing town to another location, many times for use as a museum or other historically-oriented destination. In this case the structures have been moved from one withering location to another.
Hanks was featured in the National Geographic article “The Emptied Prairie” in 2008. You can also check out John Piepkorn’s gallery of Hanks photos from 2010 here.
Back side of the old chicken hatchery
Back side of the Zahl depot…Zahl was about 5 miles east of Hanks on the Railroad line and the highway
Front of the old Zahl depot
Former bank building in Hanks, later had a gas pump in front of it, so it maybe was a store and or gas station in later life
Old Pioneer Trails Museum. Was the school at one time.
Bonetrail township one room grade school,township was north of Hanks
Photos by Clif Nelson
Original content copyright Sonic Tremor Media LLC
I’ve been told my great grandparents, Samuel & Julia Rabbe, were among the first homesteaders in Bonetraill Township south of Hanks. I remember the tales of hardship my grandfather Joel used to tell me about attempting to make a living there. – working the coal mines, raising chickens, hauling water, ect. My family eventually moved south to Williston not long after my grandfather Sam died on the back of a buckwagon en route to the hospital suffering from appendicitis.
I remember playing basketball (grade school) in the Hanks Gym. I was from Fortuna.
The gas pump belonged to the gas station that formerly stood next to the bank building and now has been demolished. There is still a hole in the ground where the building once stood. The school closed around 1970 and the museum is still open in summer months from 1-5 pm on Sundays. It is well worth the visit.
I grew up north of zahl. The population of hanks is more than one. Lol. But the museum is amazing and so is the area!
Are you sure the museum t is still open on Sundays again….my brother Randy and I were by there last August and it appeared to have been closed for sometime then…I posted numerous pics of this town and the museum on this site…one is here