C.S.P.S.125

Since 1887

csps building

Chronology of the C.S.P.S. Hall
of the West End, St. Paul, Minnesota

Adapted from the Commemorative Program of the
125th anniversary of our C.S.P.S. Hall

csps hall sign1859-60: First Czech Slovak immigrants settle in St. Paul’s West End: Josef Trnka, Tomaš Herauf, Vojta Handl, Karel Kopřiva, František Filípek, Michael Karták.

1872: C.S.P.S. Řád Čech č. 12 (Lodge Czech No. 12) founded as our local insurance agency. First members included a carpenter, a gunsmith, a laborer, a mason, a policeman, a teacher, two cutters, three saloon keepers, and four tailors all living within ten blocks of the Hall.

1879: Řád Čech purchased ($600) the lot at 383 Michigan from St. Paul Mayor William Dawson, and his wife Mary. August,

1880: Dedications in English, German, Czech of the old Vine Street School. Purchased from the Board of Education, the wooden building was moved onto the property from across Western Avenue near Goodhue St.

1884: Řád Čech č. 12 was incorporated.

1886: First building was partially destroyed by a fire of unknown origin; it was insured for $1,400. One hundred-plus members of Řád Čech raised $10,000 to build a two-story brick structure.

csps 2 story 1887: Construction initiated on the two story brick building: William J. Gronewold, general contractor and Emil W. Ulrici, architect. Completed in 1890.

1889: Řád Mělník č. 161 established.

1893: Maestro/composer Antonín Dvořák fêted at the hall.

1899: Řád Orel č. 69 (Z.C.B.J.) established.

1917: Third level added, entrance moved to center, stage relocated to north end. Blueprints and engineering by Raymond Paul Pavlecka 1932: Scenic sets and six backdrops hand painted, several by Victor Hubal, Sr.

1933: Řád Čech incorporated as Lodge Čech #51 of the Czechoslovak Society of America (CSA Fraternal Life).

1962: St. Paul Czech and Slovak Folk Dancers formed to display Czech and Slovak culture through dance. Their kroje/folk costumes represent a number of different villages.

CSPS Hall 19701970:  CSPS Hall

1977: C.S.P.S. Hall added to the National Register of Historic Places.

1978: City of St. Paul declared C.S.P.S. Hall an Historic Preservation Site.

1987: Centennial of the C.S.P.S. Hall: Henry Jansen, Chair of the Board of Trustees: “Some things need to be done when you have a building of this vintage, but we’ve been working away to return it to prime condition… Jansen is quick to take a visitor to the basement...to show off the thick limestone bearing walls and the quaint brick flooring. We’ve added a lot of pillars and companion joists to stabilize the structure… We also did a lot of dancing...”

1988: Czechoslovak Genealogical Society, International (CGSI) inaugurated at the C.S.P.S. Hall.

1999: Dr. Josef Mestenhauser appointed as the first Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic, officed in the C.S.P.S. Hall.

2005: Czech Slovak Cultural Center founded by members of Sokol and the Czech-Slovak immigrant community.

2008: Robert Vanasek appointed as the second Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic, officed in the C.S.P.S. Hall.

Our Website histories:

Early "Bohemian" immigration | Establishing St. Paul's C.S.P.S.  | CSPS Hall's chronology |
Histories from the C.S.P.S. Centennial 1987 | Czech and Slovak Sokol Minnesota chronology |
History from the Sokol centennial 1982 | Immigrant philosophical convergence | Circa 1892 flag |
1908 photograph of 58 Sokol fitness members