The Hanka Homestead Finnish Museum is located on its original site in Askel, Michigan and was homesteaded in 1896 by the Finnish immigrant family headed by Herman Hanka. The farm is a eight-building, 40 acre outdoor/opendoor museum that tells the story of how immigrant families, using their skills, knowledge, and background, were able to survive and thrive in the wilderness of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan despite setbacks and minimal resources. In a world where most people are far removed from their historical foundations, it provides a window into what people had to do to make a life for them, and enriches our understanding of the lives of many of our forebears.
