Founded:1857, Population: 3417 (2000), Elevation: 1136 ft. Located in the Northeast Region of the state, in Brown County, (County Seat) and northwest of St Joseph along US Highway 36 near Brown State Lake & Park and Kickapoo Indian Reservation.
The main street, Oregon Street, runs east-west and was named for the Oregon Trail. Hiawatha is famous for the hundreds of maple trees that line its streets and for the unique Davis Memorial with its life-size statues of John & Sarah Davis. It also has many fine older homes. There's also a beautiful park at the city lake, south of town.
Hiawatha's annual Maple Leaf Festival is a big event held the first Saturday in October. That same day is Heritage Day at the Brown County Agriculture Museum with demonstrations and a petting zoo.