Hanston, Kansas Town View by Kathy Alexander.
Hanston, Kansas, is a small town in Hodgeman County. As of the 2020 census, its population was 259, and it had a total area of 0.28 square miles, all land.
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad depot in Hanston, Kansas.
Hanston was initially called Marena and was laid out under that name in 1878. A post office was opened on March 19, 1878.
The post office closed on August 10, 1883. It reopened on March 27, 1884.
On February 6, 1901, the town’s name changed from Marena to Olney. However, that didn’t last long, as it was changed again to Hanston for the local Hann family on March 26, 1901.
In 1910, Hanston was one of the principal towns in Hodgeman County and a station on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. The railroad name was Olney. At that time, it had a bank, several general stores, an international money order post office, telegraph and express offices, Catholic and Methodist churches, and good public schools. It shipped large quantities of grain and livestock. That year, its population peaked at 350.
Hanston, Kansas Library by Kathy Alexander.
Hanston was incorporated on August 21, 1929.
In 2011, the Hodgeman County School District 227 in Jetmore absorbed the Hanston School District 228, where students attend today.
The old Elementary School was torn down, but the Middle/High School was turned into the Elk Plaza Community Center, Business and Culinary Incubator, which now serves the community in many ways. It is home to the City of Hanston offices, Little Tracks Pre-School, and several local businesses. The former Home-Ec room and concession stand now operate as a licensed culinary incubator, while the facility also hosts camps, exercise groups, and youth meetings. Amenities include on-site mailboxes, a break room, conference space, and new circuit-style exercise equipment. It is located at 203 N West Street.
Hanston is located along K-156 and the Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad, eleven miles northeast of Jetmore, the county seat.
Business buildings in Hanston, Kansas by Kathy Alexander.
Hanston, Kansas City Hall by Kathy Alexander.
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of Kansas, updated February 2026.
Also See:
Bank in Hanston, Kansas by Kathy Alexander.
Sources:
Blackmar, Frank W.; Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Vol I; Standard Publishing Company, Chicago, IL 1912.
Hodgeman County, Kansas
Wikipedia