Martha's Midway Tavern Celebrates 100 Years of Blues, Legacy, and Community in Mishawaka

Photo byWSBT photo

Martha's Midway Tavern, a Mishawaka staple known for its rich history and legendary blues music, is celebrating an impressive 100 years of operation. Opened in 1924 by Cyriel and Martha Antheunis, the tavern has grown into a cherished hub for music lovers, drawing blues bands from across the country and the world to its stage.

Nestled “somewhere between Detroit’s Motown and Chicago’s Jazz,” as patrons like to say, the Midway Tavern has become a place where the blues found a home, offering a unique space for authentic live performances.

Martha Antheunis, who emigrated from Koewacht, Holland in 1920, along with her husband Cyriel, built the tavern’s reputation with a deep commitment to authenticity. Originally called "Midway Lunch" during Prohibition, the establishment was transformed once the ban on alcohol was lifted in 1933, with Cyriel and Martha remodeling the building, adding a dance hall, stage, and booths.

Though Cyriel passed away in 1946, Martha and their daughters, Albertina and Toni, continued to run the tavern with the same passion and dedication. Martha herself became a local legend, inducted into the "Bartender's Hall of Fame" in 1988, with features in People Magazine, the Chicago Tribune, and even CNN, cementing her role as an icon in Mishawaka.

While this celebration marks the centennial of Martha’s Midway Tavern, it also holds a deeper significance. As Albertina shared, “This is also, besides the hundredth anniversary, a memorial for my mom. She passed during the end of the COVID pandemic, so a lot of people couldn’t come out to her funeral. It’s all a tribute to my mom, aunt, and grandmother.”

The packed crowd and lively blues performances at Sunday’s celebration exemplified the enduring legacy of the Antheunis family and the Midway Tavern’s commitment to keeping the spirit of the blues alive.