Fire at Pioneer Lodge puts local clubs in bind

The loss of the Pioneer Lodge, the Willow restaurant that burned to the ground on September 9, puts local clubs in a financial bind.The Montana Creek Dog Musher’s Association’s major source of income went up in smoke, as the Lodge was the most significant seller of the club’s pull tabs. The mushers’ club has a gaming permit used to sell rippies through certain restaurants and bars. The money from those pull tab sales is used for prize money and purses for their sled dog races held from December through January. The loss of the lodge, club president Helen Lundberg said, puts a big hole in next year’s club budget. Lundberg said that the club’s board of directors considers holding a raffle to make up for the lost money.

The Lodge also sold pulltabs for the Willow Area Community Organization.

The Pioneer Lodge was built in 1971 at its present location after the old Pioneer Lodge at the Willow airstrip burned down in 1970.

Former owners Gwen and Steve White bought the Pioneer Lodge in 1992, renovated the building and opened it in 1994 as a restaurant. Talkeetna chef Jerome Longo managed the Pioneer Lodge from 1995 to 1998.

Four years ago, a new set of owners purchased the restaurant and  recently, the Lodge started a transition of management.

Trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters said that the fire marshal is still investigates the fire and it may take weeks if not months to wrap up the investigation.