Cokato Temperance Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cokato Temperance Hall |
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Cokaton P.R.S. Onnen Toivo Raittiusseura
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The Cokato Temperance Hall from the west-southwest
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 Location in Minnesota
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| Location | County Highway 3 and County Road 100, Cokato Township, Minnesota |
| Area | Less than one acre |
| Built | 1896 |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001081 |
| Designated NRHP | December 12, 1976 |
The Cokato Temperance Hall is a special old building in Cokato Township, Minnesota. It was built in 1896. This hall was a social center for Finnish American families living in the countryside.
It was built by a group called a temperance society. This group encouraged people to live healthy lives and avoid certain habits. The hall was built at a place that became known as Temperance Corner. In 1976, the hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site. It shows the history of Finnish immigrants and their community life. Today, the Cokato Finnish American Historical Society takes care of the hall. They have also moved other old buildings nearby to create the Finnish Pioneer Park.
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What Does the Hall Look Like?
The Cokato Temperance Hall is a simple building made of wood. It has two stories. The building is about 25 feet wide and 45 feet long. There is a small entrance area, called a vestibule, that sticks out from the front.
The hall has four windows on its long sides. There are also two arched windows on the second floor, in the triangle part of the roof. Inside, the first floor is one big room. It has a stage at one end. A small staircase in the corner leads up to the unfinished second floor.
How the Hall Started
Finnish immigrants first came to the area north of Cokato in 1866. About 30 years later, in 1896, some of these Finnish families started a local group. It was part of the Minnesota Temperance Society. They named their local group the Onnen Toivo Temperance Society. In the Finnish language, "Onnen Toivo" means "hope of happiness."
That same year, the group bought a small piece of land for $30. It was at a country crossroads. The hall was built on this land. A person named Erick Kotila led the building project.
How the Hall Was Used
Even though the group was about temperance, the hall was mostly a place for Finnish settlers to keep their heritage alive. It helped them feel like a community. The hall became the main place for fun and social events in the area.
The stage was used for many things:
- Plays and skits
- Lectures
- Music shows by local people and visitors
The hall became even more important for fun in 1910. An athletic club started there. They offered activities like gymnastics, boxing, and wrestling. Events like box socials helped raise money for good causes. They also gave young people a chance to meet new friends.
The hall also hosted important town events. These included township meetings, school events, and elections. A charity group also formed there. They sent food and clothes to Finland from World War I until 1959. They were very busy during the Winter War in 1939–40. This was when the Soviet Union invaded Finland. The United States could not send official help at that time.
The hall was fixed up in 1939. It got a new roof and a stronger foundation. The floor was repaired, and the outside was repainted. The inside was also redecorated. A stage curtain with an ad for a local business was added. You can see it now at the Cokato Museum.
What Happened Later
The Cokato Temperance Hall was used for social and school events until the 1950s. By 1967, the building was not in good shape. It was sold to a private owner. Three years later, he sold it to a church group. This group used it for services for a few years.
In the 1970s, the Cokato Finnish American Historical Society bought the hall. This group was started in 1939 to protect local history. They fixed up the hall. They also gathered other old buildings at Temperance Corner. This created the Finnish Pioneer Park.
Today, the park includes:
- The 1896 temperance hall
- An 1899 one-room schoolhouse
- An 1866 log cabin from one of the first settlers
- The 1868 Barberg–Selvälä–Salmonson Sauna. This is thought to be the oldest Finnish smoke sauna in the United States.
The Cokato Finnish American Historical Society holds several events each year at the Pioneer Park. These include Finnish holidays like Juhannus (Midsummer) and Pikkujoulu (Little Christmas). You can also arrange tours of the historical buildings.
See also
