The History of Bruno
Before, the Eastern Railway Company of Minnesota operated a station in 1887 known as Mansfield Station, a village owned and platted by Fitzhugh Burns. Post office service began in 1896. Because many of the early settlers were from Czechoslovakia, the city may also have been named for Brno, a village in the Czech Republic.
Another story goes that the town was named “Bruno” after a Frenchman who lived there. It was then incorporated on August 23, 1903 and became a thriving and vital community, until several fires destroyed its economic core.
Bruno is a small town which has three churches, a U.S. Post Office, an auto repair shop, a thrift store, volunteer fire department and a tavern. The tavern offers food and drinks and free Wi-Fi. In late 2014, the tavern was destroyed in yet another fire but, in spring 2015, plans began to rebuild it.
There is also a small park for travelers to park and rest with restrooms and a well for fresh water.
Bruno’s story may be read in the book Courage in a Rugged Land by Edna Bjorkman and Robert Olson.
(Information from Wikipedia and Pine County Historical Society.)
(pictures fromhttps://www.lakesnwoods.com/BrunoGallery.htm)