By WILLOW KLUCK

The Mirror reporter

Junction City, Wisconsin, a small village with a population of just over 400 people. One of the great places in the small town is a local bar called Mike and Betsy’s Hiawatha Bar and Grill or as the locals simply call it, The Hiawatha. The Hiawatha is a local bar that so many folks pay a visit to, whether they live in the area or are just passing through.

When someone says “bar”, everyone thinks of alcohol. Well, The Hiawatha does have alcohol but, they also have games and a jukebox for kids. Some of the most popular games at The Hiawatha are the pinball machine and the Big Buck Hunter Pro game.

Many families bring their kids with them when visiting. While the adults are talking to locals and sharing stories, the kids are always running back and forth asking their parents for money to play the games. One of the most recent additions is the claw game. The toys in the claw game are very diverse and so much fun to play.

The kids are not the only ones who have fun at The Hiawatha. Adults have so much to do, from a small handful of casino games to talking with friends. The Hiawatha also has TVs for sports games or NASCAR races along with horseshoe tournaments in the spring and summer.

Another thing The Hiawatha has is the great homemade food along with specials. Some of the best specials are the Wednesday 12 piece chicken and two sides or the Friday fish fry. They have a wide variety of sandwiches as well, from hamburgers to the Side Track or The Hobo. They also have a different soup every day.

“My grandma is disabled so it is always hard for us to feed her and the rest of the family. On Fridays, my mom orders enough fish fries from The Hiawatha for everyone. Mom then goes and gets the food as the rest of the family gathers at grandma’s house where we eat together,” 11-year old, Alena Duda said.

The food is not the only thing that makes The Hiawatha special. The people and staff members are great, too. So many people love coming to The Hiawatha just to talk or celebrate. Many birthday parties have been thrown there throughout the years.

The Hiawatha Bar has been around since 2004 and is a single location business. One fun fact about The Hiawatha bar is that it was named after a train that stopped at what was once a train station. The train was dubbed as Hiawatha – North Woods Section. The train station is no longer standing, however, the steps of where it still remains visible.

“One of the best memories I have ever had before I was divorced, was when my family would all go down to The Hiawatha bar after a long day of haying. We would all go there, eat and drink before all going home to sleep and getting up the next day to do even more haying,” Elizabeth Bonnstetter said.

“My favorite memory is after a long day of hunting and successfully shooting a deer, the kids and I would all head down to The Hiawatha Bar to get the deer tagged, show off, and to get a drink after a successful day,” Darren Kluck said.

The Hiawatha Bar is located in a small town but so many people know about it or have been there. It is a special place where people and families gather to eat, talk, and celebrate.