Bohemian National Hall (Cleveland, Ohio)

Bohemian National Hall (Czech: Česká národní síň) is an historic building located in the Broadway–Slavic Village neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in May 1975.[1] The hall was built to serve the cultural and educational needs of the city's Czech community, and currently serves as host to Sokol Greater Cleveland and the Cleveland Czech Cultural Center and Museum.[2]

Bohemian National Hall (Cleveland, Ohio)
Front facade of the Bohemian National Hall
Bohemian National Hall (Cleveland, Ohio) is located in Cleveland
Bohemian National Hall (Cleveland, Ohio)
Bohemian National Hall (Cleveland, Ohio) is located in Ohio
Bohemian National Hall (Cleveland, Ohio)
Bohemian National Hall (Cleveland, Ohio) is located in the United States
Bohemian National Hall (Cleveland, Ohio)
Location4939 Broadway Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44127
Coordinates41°28′20″N 81°39′23″W
Built1896
Architectural styleRomanesque
NRHP reference No.75001359
Added to NRHPMay 28, 1975

History

Bohemian National Hall was built in 1896-97 by Czech immigrants in Cleveland, reportedly becoming the "first hall in the city owned by a nationality group."[3] The idea of the hall emerged in the 1880s in the Lodge Bratri v Kruhu of the Czech Slovak Benevolent Association.[1] The fundraising effort was led by Czech American journalist Václav Šnajdr, and the building was designed by Andrew Mitermiler, John Hradek, and the Cleveland architectural firm of Steffens, Searles and Hirsh.[3]

On October 22 and 23, 1915, Bohemian National Hall was the site of the signing of the Cleveland Agreement by Czech American and Slovak American representatives. The agreement was a precursor to the Pittsburgh Agreement, calling for the formation of a joint Czech and Slovak state, which was realized with the founding of Czechoslovakia in 1918.[4]

Over the years, the building's exterior darkened appreciably due to the pollution from nearby steel mills.[5] Sokol, a local Czech American society which promotes athletics and healthy living, purchased the building for $35,000 ($200,000 in 2022 dollars) in 1975.[5]

Bohemian National Hall underwent a $400,000 ($700,000 in 2022 dollars) renovation in 1997. The basement was deepened by 2 feet (0.61 m) to raise the ceiling to a more customary height. In the first floor lobby, paint was stripped from the quarter-sawn oak molding and panelling and a false wall removed to reveal a wrought iron screen. The walls of the grand ballroom on the second floor were cleaned of more than a century of grime, and two ornate hand-carved columns were rescued and placed in the third-floor museum. An elevator was also added to the structure, to make the fourth floor gymnasium more accessible.[5]

In 1998, Sokol began construction on a $1.5 million ($2,700,000 in 2022 dollars), 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m2) addition to the Bohemian National Hall. Built by Panzica Construction, the volleyball court (which shared the ballroom) and the gymnastics practice area (on the fourth floor) moved to the addition once it was finished.[5]

See also

References
  1. Rose, Danielle. "Bohemian National Hall". Cleveland Historical. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  2. "Culture and History". Slavic Village Development. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  3. "Bohemian National Hall". The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  4. Burik, Paul. "Cleveland Agreement of 1915". The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  5. Mcintyre, Michael K. (August 8, 1998). "Turning An Eyesore Into a Showplace". The Plain Dealer. p. B1.
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