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Czech Center offers some Texans a view of their heritage |
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By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition |
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September 19, 2002 -- When you look back to who settled different areas of Texas, historians find that many of the earliest settlers were Europeans. Many were just looking for a new life in a new country, and some were looking for a way to prosper and the land they needed to pursue those dreams. A great number of Texans of Czech descent have been able to trace their ancestry to those who immigrated from "the present-day Czech Republic or the former Austro-Hungarian Empire (including Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia and Silesia)." Since the Czech people are an industrious, hard-working group of people, a number of years ago, they started looking to establish a Czech Center, somewhere in Texas, to celebrate their heritage and successes in the United States. "The idea for a state center was sort of 'resurrected.' It was talked about in the '80s and probably, even before that ... in particular ... by a person named Robert Blaha," said Woody Smith, executive director of the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center, Inc., in Fayette County. He said in the mid-'90s, the Czech Heritage Society decided it would be great if all of the various groups in Texas could work together for the same goals. The Texans of Czech Ancestry (TOCA) decided to act as a "coordinator," and started having various meetings and discussions to start the ball rolling. "La Grange was not the only possible location for the Center. There had been a request sent out, through pretty much the Czech media, that if any community was interested in such a facility, there would be an opportunity for proposals to be presented," added Smith. Cities who elected to compete for the Center included Temple, Ennis, Caldwell and La Grange. As Smith remembered, there were "strong reasons" why the Czech Center could have been in any of the four towns. Eventually, the four Czech groups from the four cities met in La Grange to make their presentations and proposals. The group toured each town and met with city officials. After gathering all information, the decision was made that the Czech Center should be in Fayette County. "If you go back to the immigration history of Czechs in Texas, this area - Fayette County and the surrounding counties - really (a)re the nucleus of the original operation and immigration," said Smith. In addition to that, the property available for the Czech Center had a topography which was very "similar to the homelands of the Czech immigrants." It includes a high bluff overlooking the vast Colorado River, and offers large oak trees, a pecan orchard, and land to build the working village, complete with a space for agricultural crops. People were brought over to Texas by individuals and companies who pursued immigrants for various reasons, Smith related. Many of the settlers sent money and/or word back to other family members, telling them of the vast amounts of land available. While some of them were farmers, before, many of them decided that working the land was a good way to prosper. The Fayette County location offered rich soil, new hope and a future for the settlers. According to literature at the Czech Center, "many historical sites, prominent persons and events that are significant to Texas Czechs can be linked to Fayette County, which has the distinction of having had more immigrants from the Czech lands of the Austro-Hungarian Empire settle there in the second half of the nineteenth century than any other county in Texas." Smith said that the goals of the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center, Inc. include educating the public about past and present contributions of persons of Czech descent; encouraging study and preservation of the language, fine arts, music and dance; and, the preservation and exhibition of artifacts that are historically significant to the Czech people of Texas. There will be space available for meetings, gatherings and educational pursuits and an encouragement to promote a cultural exchange program between Texas Czechs and citizens of the Czech Republic. Finally, the Czech Center will provide the public with updated information concerning Czech-related activities and historical sites to visit in Texas, the United States and abroad. Once completed, the Czech Center will include a library, archives, exhibit halls, auditorium, classrooms, meeting rooms and a visitor information center, complete with gift shop/bookstore in the central facility. Smith said volunteers from all over Texas have helped with restoration and planning, including moving the house (donated by Jonathan and Peggy Kalich), which is used as the main office, as well as developing the flower gardens around it. Outside, there is an amphitheatre (which hopes to open in the Spring of '03), and plans are under way for an immigrants' memorial wall, a rose garden and a living history center, complete with a Texas Czech farmstead and an early 20th century village, which will offer a dance hall and Czech restaurant. Talking about the amphitheatre, which overlooks the Colorado River and its valley, Smith said the stage, itself, is finished, and bids have gone out for completing the seating area. The facility will host plays, music and other entertainment. Also, there will be walking/birding trails, flowers and a picnic area. For those who may never visit the Czech Republic, the new Czech Center should bring back memories of the ancestors and stories told from generation, successes and failures ... life, in general. (Access information at www.czechtexas.org) |
