Evan Home >
Evan was established on the Minnesota Valley Railway after it was constructed in 1878, connecting Sleepy Eye to Redwood Falls. Martin Norseth opened the town’s first store in 1885, and became the first postmaster in 1886. The post office used the name for the railroad station, Evan Station, possibly in honor of Eva Hanson. In 1887, Eva’s husband, Nels Hanson, platted the town as Hanson Station, although the name did not stay. Evan continued to develop as the Evan Creamery was built in 1895, and a department store operated there by 1902. In 1904, the State Bank of Evan incorporated and the town incorporated into a village the same year.