America Letter Summer 2005 Vol. XIX, No. 1 Your Museum in the An International THE DANISH IMMIGRANT MUSEUM Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Protector Heart of the Continent Cultural Center Member of the American Association of Museums BOX 470 • ELK HORN, IOWA 51531 Hans Hansen: A Study in Danish American Ingenuity Hans Hansen wrested a working River in eastern Iowa. The land was fi lled which Hans cleared himself. He built farm from a tract of land near the Cedar with timber and heavy brush growth, with his own hand the family home and all of the farm buildings. To accomplish this, he frequently used tools of his own making, several of which are displayed in the exhibit. As is evident from a study of these tools, Hans met challenges posed by work and building projects with a vigilant economy, drawing as much as possible from materials at hand. Hans Hansen emigrated from Den- mark in February of 1899. Initially, he stayed with relatives near Centerdale, Iowa. That spring he got a job laying fi eld tile. But soon he was caught up in the lure of the railroad and secured a job as a bridge building foreman on what would later become known as the Rock Island Railroad. One of the pieces on display in Hans Hansen was in his 70s at the time this photograph was taken. The ingenious self-suffi - – continued on page 3 ciency with which he managed his farm had become well known in the area. This photo was taken as part of the preparatory work for an article about Hans and his farm appearing in The Cedar Rapids Gazette in December 1950. 2005 Exhibits Feature Culture, Americans at Work and at Play: A Study Contemporary Design of Danish Infl uences in Every Day Life and Immigrant This exhibition is an exploration of Danish infl uences in the American home Ingenuity This The scope of the temporary exhibits and workplace. It initiates the fi rst in a Stelton coffee pot, sugar and at the Museum this year breaks new larger series of such studies. This particu- ground. “Hans Hansen: A Study in lar exhibit has evolved as an exploration creamer were purchased Danish American Ingenuity” narrates of ways in which Danish Americans by a Dan- a unique early 20th century immigrant deliberately retain ties to Denmark ish American story. An exhibit of prints, photographs through the use of Danish-made products professor and and a short fi lm celebrates the bicenten- at home and sometimes at work. These his wife during nial of Hans Christian Andersen’s birth, a sabbatical products range from fi ne porcelains and leave spent in a literary cultural icon. Modern Danish glassware to textiles, writing and cutting Denmark, design as found in American homes is instruments, lighting fi xtures and sound c. 1990. the focus of “Americans at Work and at systems, cooking products and toys, to Play: A Study of Danish Infl uences in name but a few. Lenders to the exhibit Every Day Life.” Through these varied are individuals, families who use these exhibits, visitors will have an opportunity items and businesses, which sell these to glimpse the rich tradition of the Danish products to American homes. and Danish American heritage. Hansen Exhibit More photos on page 20 From 1918 to about 1940, the Hansen’s sawmill was powered by a steam engine. When an increasing need for repairs made its replacement prudent, Hans purchased a used tractor to power his mill. Use of the tractor required a special size pulley. Hans made the chisel displayed here for the specific purpose of “turning” the new pulley. He forged the chisel from an old file. He had forged the logging tongs from an old Model T drive shaft. He needed the tongs for handling larger logs. Traditionally, mill workers used chains for dragging logs, but Hans found it easier to manage the logs with tongs. The items in this display emphasize the man- The story of this apron ner in which Hans continuously utilized materi- is best told in the words of als at hand. When his work horses died, he used Walter Hansen: “This was my father’s personal car- their tails to make horsehair brushes in a range of penter apron which he had sizes. The larger ones were sometimes dipped in made. The hammer was kerosene or fuel oil to clean greasy machine parts. his favorite which he used He used the smaller brushes to apply acid when to build most of the [farm] soldering metal. Cheese boxes made an excellent buildings. “On October 6, 1953 storage space for these brushes, as well as for nu- when we had finished merous other small items. To one end of each box, installing a new roof on Hans attached a screw with a rounded head, which the high part of the house, served as a drawer knob. The ice picks were made Dad hung up his carpenter from old, broken pitchfork tines. The picks were apron for the last time. Thirty-four days later Dad never literally used for ice, but rather were used in passed away. He had been Hans’ workshop for various tasks, such as punch- ill for several months or ing holes in metal. Hans used the picks extensively more with emphysema for punching holes through the corrugated steel before he suffered a major roofing that he installed on several buildings. stroke and died at the age of 76 years. I have never used the apron or hammer Hans built since.” this tool box when he was actively practicing the carpentry trade in the early 1900’s. Hans forged this augur from “mild steel,” which he salvaged It was made from scrap metal. Mild steel is not excessively hard and is an prior to the use of power tools and built large enough easier grade of steel to work with than tempered steel. It is likely that this augur was one of the first tools which Hans forged in his to hold everything a carpenter would need at that time. new workshop. As an object, it provides important commentary on Hans used the augur while clearing tree stumps from his land. Hans and his approach to his work. The chest is well It was designed for efficiency of operation. Traditionally, dynamite organized and comprehensive in terms of the storage charges were sent under stumps after dirt had been cleared away space provided and in its custom designed niches for with a flat, narrow spade. The augur allowed Hans to bore a direct specific tools. It suggests a worker who is thorough, path through the dirt to the underside of the stump so that he resourceful and prepared to address a broad range of could place the dynamite charge where it would have maximum efficiency. It was a more direct, less time consuming contingencies in his trade. 2 approach than using a spade. Hans Hansen . continued from page 1 the exhibit dates from the period of met the challenge of transporting these old abandoned sawmill located a mile Hans’ association with the railroad. It boards from the depot to his farmstead north of his farm and relocated it to his is a contractor’s transit which he used some miles away. In 1916, he built a farmstead. Hans purchased the mill for in building railroad bridges and later barn (his second) adjoining the silo for $350, a sum advanced to him by a neigh- in laying the foundations for his farm his stock cows. bor who wanted three barns built on his buildings. It is a transit which he made Hans had a favorite hammer, also properties and made arrangements with using a carpenter’s level and gun sights. on display, which he used for all of his Hans to pay off the loan through cutting This ingenious device has the accuracy construction. Into the end of this hammer, the lumber required to build these barns. of manufactured transits; it is expressive he drilled a small hole, which he filled The sawmill turned out to have been a of Hans Hansen’s continual approach with soap. All of his buildings, with the particularly advantageous purchase. It to problems that presented themselves, exception of his house, were built with allowed Hans to process all of his own namely, arriving at working solutions native lumber which was often very hard. lumber needs in addition to taking on through the use of available materials. Drawing upon the soap reserve in the a substantial amount of custom sawing The primary focus of the exhibit is on end of his hammer, Hans would coat the for others. Income earned through the Hans Hansen’s life from 1909 onwards. nails with a soap film, making it much sawmill helped him hold onto his farm It was at this time that he purchased his easier to drive them into the wood. during the Great Depression (1930’s), first tract of land, about 82 acres, along In 1916, Hans Hansen built a work- a time when a number of farmers in the the Cedar River, a few miles outside shop with a blacksmithing forge. So that area lost their land. of West Branch, Iowa. The land was he could work in the shop year round, Over the years, Hans Hansen and his covered with timber and heavy brush he installed an old steam boiler engine sawmill became well known throughout undergrowth. All working space had to to heat the space during winter months. the West Branch area, as did the ingenu- be cleared before use – building sites, Hans Hansen’s workshop was the heart- ity and self-sufficiency of his workshop farm grounds and fields.