The Little Mermaid Café

So Why is Askov, MN Home to a Cafe Named The Little Mermaid?

We have been asked why, in the middle of Minnesota, far from the sea, we have a Cafe in our Museum named The Little Mermaid Cafe? The Little Mermaid is a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, it is also an animated movie by Walt Disney, so most children & adults are familiar with the tale.

The Dane’s settled in Askov in 1906 and brought much of their Danish culture with them. Askov itself is named after a town in Denmark. When the Danes built the new Askov school in 1910, they thought it fitting to name the school after their country’s most famous author, Hans Christian (H.C.) Andersen.

Although the original school was demolished in 1982, the present building which holds The Pine County Historical Society Museum and The Little Mermaid Cafe, occupies the site of the old H.C. Andersen School.

In honor of the strong Danish Heritage in Askov, and Denmark’s famous author, The Little Mermaid Cafe, that serves as a fundraiser for The Pine County Historical Society, was named after one of H.C. Andersen’s most famous tales.

Enjoy our whimsical setting with The Little Mermaid carving created by Cliff Letty, and the mural backdrop created by local artists. Enjoy the fun photo-ops inside and outdoors with our Little Mermaids!

(photo credits above left & right: Nancy Green)