Since our earliest days, we have worked with our students to help nurture their mind, body and spirit. We provide our boys with full‐time residential treatment and educational services along with health care physical education and recreational opportunities. The boys live in cottages and group homes spread across the 170-acre campus. Each residence has a coordinator and live-in youth counselors, providing a true home away from home experience.
History Timeline
1945
Hanna Boys Center is founded as a home for the increasing numbers of wayward and abandoned youth following World War II by Monsignor William Flanagan and Father William O’Connor.
1949
After years of fundraising and hard work, the first 25 students are welcomed to the 170+ acres that make up today’s Hanna Boy Center in Sonoma. The Sisters of St. Francis served as the teaching staff and lived on campus with the Fathers Flanagan and O’Connor.
1953
The center begins to expand, building more dormitories to house more youth.
1955
The Center continues to expand adding more classrooms, an auditorium, a wood shop, trade school, dentist office and an administration building.
1965
The 1,000th boy enrolls at Hanna.
1986
The first on-site group home opens as the age of Hanna’s students shifts to teenagers in grades 8-12.
1991
Archbishop Hanna High school becomes accredited and the majority of students shift from attending off-site local high schools to the on-site campus.
2002
The final group home is built, topping out the capacity of the Hanna Boys Center residential capacity at 107 full time students.
2010
Major investment for Hanna and the surrounding community includes the building of new multi-use sporting fields, an auditorium and a new Alumni/ Admissions Center.
2016
Hanna Institute is launched.