BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. -- The new Wal-Mart Supercenter in Black River Falls has a feature seldom seen at big-box retailers: hitching posts.

The parking lot for 800 vehicles at the new Wal-Mart also has space for those who choose to travel by horse-drawn buggy.

Around Black River Falls, the Amish make their way to town in their buggies and wagons and end up hitching their horses to whatever's available, like parking signs or trees.

Wal-Mart will make it a little easier with the hitching posts.

The idea isn't new to Wal-Mart. It's installed similar posts where there are concentrated populations of Amish, including Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana.

Ingolf Vogeler, a University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire geography professor, said that he estimates there are more than 10,000 Amish living in Wisconsin, but fewer than 150 in Jackson County where Black River Falls is located.

There are more Amish near Tomah and Sparta, where the Wal-Marts don't have the posts.