Published April 17, 2025 | Updated May 22, 2026

Long before it became Heron Bay, this area on the northern banks of the Platte River just east of Highway 50 was home to Hrabikville. It was here that the Hrabik family opened its namesake tavern and community hub.

Before it was named for the family that remained, it was a small, unincorporated village called Meadow. Located near Springfield, the village was founded in 1894 along not just the railroad tracks but also on the banks of the river. At one point it had its own post office, railroad depot, grain elevators, and grocery store.

Among the residents of the railroad town was Josephine Korjetko and her husband Joseph Hrabik. Before they settled in Meadow, they lived on a farm near Bellevue and later in Omaha, where he worked for the railroad. After purchasing land along the Platte River, the family cleared the brush, planted trees, and opened Hrabik Meadow Tavern in 1930. Just two years later, the Highway 50 bridge across the Platte River was constructed close to their tavern.

After divorcing and remarrying in 1938, Josephine and her children remained in the area. Residents of Meadow and surrounding areas suffered through a series of floods, and by 1953, both the train depot and post office had closed. The town was largely abandoned afterward, but through it all, Hrabik Meadow Tavern, which doubled as a hunting and fishing supply store, remained a fixture. The Hrabiks maintained their presence even after begrudgingly ceding land to the state for the construction of Highway 50.

By 1971 it had become known as Hrabikville, as all 10 residents were members of the family: Josephine and the families of her sons Amos and Earl and daughters Stacia and Josephine. The construction of a new bridge to replace the old one in 1971 disrupted the family and their business once again.

This time they had to move a block east and rebuilt the tavern and supply store at 21215 S. Highway 50. Just one year later, the matriarch of the family, Josephine Korjetko, passed away. Born in Bohemia in 1882, she immigrated to the States at just 10.

Over the decades, the business had become a favorite for hunters and fishermen as well as a community hub for cabin owners in the surrounding area. A sign out front even referred to it as the home of “fishermen, hunters and all other fancy liars.” Josephine’s son Earl operated the bait store and was commonly referred to as the mayor. Her son Amos operated the tavern and was referred to as the town fisherman. By this time, the tavern was simply referred to as Meadow Inn.

Earl and his wife Loretta retired from Earl’s Bait Shop in 1973 before Earl passed away in 1996. Amos and his wife Pauline continued to operate the tavern until his death in 1982. The tavern continued to operate as the Meadow Tavern until at least 1997, possibly by Pauline, who lived until 2001.

The building was listed in an estate sale and after being sold in 2002, it was broken into and vandalized. Its new owners, Stephen and Shirley Smith, were the target of threats from people who had tried but failed to purchase the property. In place of the Meadow Tavern, they opened Heron Bay, which has since become a popular gathering place for locals as well as bikers, bicyclists, and outdoor enthusiasts wanting to catch views of the Platte River. The unruly river struck again in 2019 when extensive flooding left behind a ton of sand and ruined kitchen equipment. Like the Hrabiks before them, the Smiths were undeterred and performed an extensive cleanup in addition to gutting the kitchen so it could reopen.

While Meadow has largely been forgotten, the legacy of the Hrabik family lives on nearly 100 years later. The Hrabik Meadow Tavern managed to overcome numerous floods, the construction of the highway and bridges, relocation, and numerous other challenges. Today, its successor, Heron Bay, remains open and continues to offer a unique perspective of the Platte River while also serving as an enjoyable place to watch the sun set while listening to music on its outdoor stage.

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More pictures

• Omaha World-Herald archives
• Meadow, Nebraska – Wikipedia
• Nebraska Highway 50 – Wikipedia