Czech Immagration to Chicago

• Czech immigrants were first known as Bohemians in the 1850s



• By 1910 there were about 110,000 Czechs in Chicago, it was the second largest Czech center in the world



• Czech immigrants were much different than other immigrants because most of them were literate, they were not as poor, and could speak more English, they also came to Chicago to stay



• Many Czechs were interested in owning property, this led to buildings and loan associations that were lending institutions for Czechs wanting to buy a home



• Pilson was the original home for most Czechs, but they eventually moved to an area that became known as Czech California, its name coming from the area being on California Ave.



• 80% of the buildings in Czech California were owned by Czechs



• Popular buildings Czechs have build include: the Sokol Havlicek-Tyrs, the Pilsen Brewery, Pilsen Park, St. Ludmila Church, and the John Hus Church



• Two pubic schools in the area also started teaching the Czech language since they become so dominant in that area
  
  
• They didn't just stick to their own ethnic groups, they associated themselves with other ethnic groups as well



• Anton Cermak was Czech who became mayor of Chicago in 1931

• The Czechs had insufficient numbers to get electoral votes by voting as a monolithic bloc, unlike the Polish