Czech Pioneers in the American Northwest

Czech settlements in America have generally been associated with big cities, such as Milwaukee, St. Louis, New York, Chicago and Cleveland, as well as the rural Midwest. Nevertheless, individual immigrants from Czech lands have appeared in other areas of the United States, although relatively little is known about them and even less written about these...

Bohemians, History

October 11, 2022

Czech Settlement at Slavia, Florida

Today we are looking at the Slovak and Czech settlement at Slavia, Florida. It was mostly Slovak, but a few Czechs were there, too. In the early 1900s, the American Slovak slogan was Spat ku gazdovstvu, or “Back to the farm.” A number of immigrants from Slovakia felt uncomfortable in their occupations as workers in...

History, NOSTALGIA

October 5, 2022

Early Czech California Pioneers

Like many others, early Czech California pioneers went West in search of gold and opportunities. During the mid-1800’s California was a land still steeped in romantic reminders of the first Spanish population and the prospect of sudden wealth. A life of adventure beckoned there, at least from an American point of view. What adventures would...

Bohemians, History

September 10, 2022

Czechs In The American Northwest

Today we are learning a bit about Czechs in the American Northwest. My friend and historian Martin Nekola has been doing research on the Czech communities in the USA for many years. In cooperation with the Czech consulate general in Los Angeles, he recently finished a brochure about the Czechs in Northwestern states which is...

CULTURE, PEOPLE

September 4, 2022

A Bohemian Boyhood 1851-1867

The following stories about a Bohemian boyhood (1851-1867) have been provided by Bill Skocpol, a loyal supporter of Très Bohemes. They were written by Frank J. Sadilek of Wilber, Nebraska, Bill’s great-great-grandfather, as reminiscences about his boyhood in Ledeč nad Sázavou, Central Bohemia. The post is separated into Bill’s notes with updated facts, maps, and...

Books, History, NOSTALGIA

August 26, 2022

Czechs In the Big Apple: How It All Began

Today, we are learning about Czechs in the Big Apple and how it all began. New York is the city with a special significance to the Czech Republic. In Upper East Side, we can find the Czech consulate general and the Czech center, both doing a great job in promoting Czech businesses and Czech culture...

Bohemians, History

March 7, 2020

Paulina Porizkova and the Pink Gap Dress

Today is International Women’s Day so to celebrate today, this post is primarily for the ladies! To us Czech ‘girls’, Paulina Porizkova is one of ours… Most of us grew up with seeing her supermodel covers in the 80’s and 90’s and followed her acting career as well as that of her husband, Ric Ocasek,...

PEOPLE, Women

February 6, 2020

Joseph Kaspar the (Czech) Accordionist from Texas

Today we are time traveling to Texas to meet Joseph Kaspar, the Texas accordionist of Czech descent. In this interview which took place on August 9, 1987, Al Lowman sat down with Joseph Kaspar at the Folk Like Festival in Texas. Here is what we can learn from this unique and very special Czech musician....

History, Music

January 23, 2020

Did the United States Influence the Czechoslovak National Flag

Today we have a wonderful history of the Czech flag to share with you. This special guest post was a paper originally published by NAVA (North American Vexillological Association) in the Proceedings of the 24th International Congress of Vexillology (2011). It was written by Aleš Brožek and is reproduced here with permission. The outbreak of...

History, NOSTALGIA

October 27, 2019

A Brief History of the Early Bohemians of Chicago

The following is a reprint of an article featuring a brief history of the early Bohemians of Chicago that appeared in the Chicago Tribune on March 07, 1886. It was entitled as follows: Manners and Customs of the Bohemian Portion of the City’s Population. They Are Industrious, Thrifty and Generally of a Most Peaceable Disposition....

Bohemians, History, NOSTALGIA

October 21, 2019

Texas Czechs – A People United

While describing the American character in his essay, “What is an American?” Jean de Crevecoeur also defined the unifying forces of the Czechs who immigrated to America. He stated, “In this great American asylum the poor of Europe have by some means met together, and the consequence of various causes.” The Czech pioneer in Texas...

History, NOSTALGIA

October 18, 2019

A New Declaration of Independence

The Czechoslovak Declaration of Independence or the Washington Declaration (Czech: Washingtonská deklarace; Slovak: Washingtonská deklarácia) was drafted in Washington, D.C. and published by Czechoslovakia’s Paris-based Provisional Government on 18 October 1918. The creation of the document, officially the Declaration of Independence of the Czechoslovak Nation by Its Provisional Government (Czech: Prohlášení nezávislosti československého národa zatímní...

History, NOSTALGIA

September 5, 2019

Struggles of a Czech Family in Texas

This article originally appeared in The Texas Historian (Volume 45, Number 1). It was written by William Clyde Hajek of Pauline G.Hughes Middle School, Burleson, Texas. I’m sharing it here for the historical significance of Czechs in Texas. Texas and the United States have been greatly enriched by our multi-cultural heritage. One group which has...

History, NOSTALGIA

August 13, 2019

Bohemian Farming Families of the Early 1900s

Lewis Wickes Hine (September 26, 1874 – November 3, 1940) was an American sociologist and photographer. Hine used his camera as a tool for social reform. His photographs were instrumental in changing the child labor laws in the United States. He photographed many immigrant families, including Czechs. Today we are looking at Bohemian Farming Families...

History, NOSTALGIA

May 28, 2019

Journalism in Czech Blood: The Rosický’s of Omaha

If you are a lover of Everything Czech and are especially fascinated with Czechs in America, then surely you have heard of the Rosický’s of Omaha or come across A History of Czechs (Bohemians) in Nebraska. Compiled by Rose Rosicky (Růžena Rosicka) in Omaha, Nebraska in 1929. This special historical book (documents all important Czech...

Books, History, Women

April 11, 2019

Willa Cather and Her Love of Czechs

As you know, we love digging through old archives, magazines, newspapers, books. Some of these we are gifted, some we find on our own, some we search for painstakingly and others come by way of my father who’s work in an antique bazaar allows many opportunities to come across wonderful old treasures. Today we are...

Books