About Us
Located 2 hours north of Des Moines, 2 hours south of Minneapolis and 3 miles west of Interstate 35 on Iowa Highway 9. The population is (give or take) 200 and has been that way since it was founded in 1899.
The convenience of modern highways caused many local businesses to move or close. What remains however is a nice place to live, with the Iowa communities of Mason City , Clear Lake, Forest City, Manly, and Minnesota community of Albert Lee all a half hour or less away.
Is this the end of the rainbow? No, it isn't. It just seems that way to many of us living here.
Annual Celebration
Since 1980 Hanlontown has celebrated the summer solstice — this is when the sun sets between the rails of the Union Pacific Railroad line that runs through the community. We celebrate the solstice on June 20, 21 or 22. We start the eveing with HAGBRAT (The great bike ride around town) followed by Ice Cream Sundaes at the tracks while waiting for the sunset. This is followed by a celebration on the following Saturday. If your plan to join us for this celebration please check our calendar. The biggest of all these Sundown celebrations, everyone agrees, was in 2001 when Bill Geist of CBS produced a segment on Sundown Days for CBS Sunday Morning. This segment may be seen at the Citizens Savings Bank Museum.
The Sundowner
The Hanlontown Sundowner helps many former residents maintain a connection with the community where they once lived. This connection is reflected in the letters sent to the Sundowner. The art on our Home page is by Rebacca "Becky" Sunwall Werle, who spent a portion of her early years here. Becky sent this to us with a note that said it was ours to use. Until now we did not have an appropriate place to display it. Thank you Becky.