Council Hill Station

Love this place. As a biker you want to find places that have some character. Basically you walk in grab your own bottle of beer out of the stand up refrigerators and walk into another room to tell somebody that you need to pay for them. Out back is a huge barn and when they have events it is a great time. They have food, nice people and it sits on a river bank.

After losing myself in winding roads and walls of cornstalks, and wondering if I’d really found a new shortcut to Wisconsin, I ended up in the paved roads of Council Hill; and a few elusive signs lead me down a big hill, and across the tracks to the station. Arriving here is part «Northern Exposure,» and part «Am I in Alaska?» Actually, there was a big bound Atlas on my table here opened up to Alaska. and Diana, one of the proprietors, gave us some Alaska travel advice, having lived there in a past life. She is a warm and engaging story-​teller and hostess.
You cannot help thinking that this old railroad stop has not changed much in the last 100 years. Diana and Jamie greet you. Dan road his Harley up here from Rockford. We talked of Swedes and road trips. Dave and Josh pop in all camouflaged from hunting deer with bow and arrow. They had nothing to show for today’s efforts, so they came here for a couple of beers. There’s an old guy from Dubuque and his gal singing corny old songs, and Jamie plays some beautiful piano.
Council Hill Station is more like an evolving party (even on a Saturday afternoon) than a foodie destination. I ordered a very decent pulled pork sandwich to ease my late afternoon hunger. And it hit the spot. It is a candy store of beer choices. I did the «when in Rome» thing and drank mine from the bottle-​too shy to ask for a glass. And it’s just the kind of place where you feel just fine doing that. I’ve never been to a place like Council Hill Station, and I’m happy it’s just up the road a piece from me now. I was even happier to find a shorter route back home. Hope to come back for the evening music jams. The big potbelly wood stove will be a welcome friend in winter.

This is by far one of the strangest and coolest places I have ever been to. Was driving and found it by accident! Such a quaint little place! Located right next to the train tracks, it’s an old train station. They have no less than 20 different beers to choose from. The best part was when we walked in and the guy behind the counter said «just go ahead and grab a beer, keep track of how many you drink, then pay the lady on your way out!» So nice that they trust everyone to be honest. There is live music, but the musician was taking a break while we were there. We spent most of the time just roaming around outside and walking down by the creek.
This place is about 15 minutes outside of Galena, but it’s worth the trip! Especially if you’re a train geek like me!

Council Hill Station is on our «Must Stop» list for any trip to Galena. My wife enjoys Gourd Art, & there was a regional event there last weekend with about a dozen artists gathered to share tips/​techniques & stories. The folks that run the station are friendly & welcoming with their own quirks. It used to be a rail road depot/​station, & every time the train goes by the guy runs for the piano, straps a harmonica on, & starts playing this ‘train is coming through’ song. He really sounds pretty good & can’t be interrupted until the train’s gone through (we saw a few people try). The wood burning stove is original from the 1850s, & the wide plank floor seems solid & looks authentic. The display case by the cash register is full of candy bars, & looks like it would have been full of penny candy in my grandmother’s time. They have music every weekend (2 — 3 folks w/​a banjo, guitar, & big bass). This weekend there was a Native American Story Teller, who was very interesting, but she was part of the gourd folks.
The $ 2.00 hot dogs from the DuBuque Pack are thick, juicy, & very tasty! The pulled pork sandwiches were generous, & delicious. It took longer to figure out how much the pulled pork sandwiches cost than it did to order one & have it in my hand. The fridge is about 8′ wide & stocked full of craft, & recognizable import beer w/​a few domestics. There’s a little river walk with a creek that winds through the property, an old barn & silo that look like they are 2 & 6 (respectively) good storms away from being ready to visit the wood burning stove, & a large shed that would be comfortable in a county fair setting. I’m not sure how much activity is out there when there’s not a gourd festival going on, but wouldn’t be surprised to find other art related doings. Council Hill Station is well worth the 15 — 20 min. it takes to get there from Galena.