New Orleans Czech Families There's a Susitna Street in Metairie. The Cizeks opened or operated Victors Restaurant in the French Quarter. Some 100 families entered through the Port of New Orleans between 1852 and 1880 and claimed New Orleans or Louisiana as their final destination. I have not had the time to examine any specific records but here is a list of all the families that are listed: Czech Immigrants in Louisiana Natchitoches Meat Pie Company Mr. and Mrs. Potmesil opened the Natchitoches Meat Pie Company at some point in the 1950's. Now pretty famous, the company is commonly thought of as just another product of the Cajun food phenomenon. Actually, meat pies are more in line with Kolaches (a sweet confection pie/donut/tort thing). And apparently Mrs. Potmesil wrote a Louisiana Czech cookbook, of which I briefly saw a copy in the New Orleans public library. The Horecky family of Church Point and Church Point Wholesale Grocers, 1880's I have spoken at length with one of the descendents. Apparently his grandfather was a wandering peddler during the 1880's and wound up in Southwest Louisiana. Why he decided to stay in the little town of Church Point I haven't determined. The Horecky family rose to a position of prominence in the town, particularly through the grocery company they founded. I have heard stories that during the Depression this well run company not only weathered the economic crises but worked diligently in helping people throughout the region. Czechs in Lakes Charles after 1968 From what I have heard a Christian missionary group sponsored a number of Czechs and Slovaks who fled the invading Russians One old lady founded a restaurant, Joe's on Ryan Street and another family entered professions, including producing a Federal court judge (though his position is in Long Island New York) I do not know the numbers who came or who sponsored them. Port Barre's Czech Families From numerous sources I have identified a Hromaska family and a second family whose name I don't know who settled in Port Barre, a small town about 20 miles to the west of Baton Rouge on the edge of the Atchafalaya Swamp, straddling Highway 190. For a while the mayor of the town was one Mr. Hromaska. Czechs in Covington I have seen several references to a Czech settlement in or near Covington but have not had any further information. Bohemia in Plaquemines Parish There is a place called Bohemia to the south of New Orleans, but this community is no longer viable. Some information points to a plantation home with this name, others to a small settlement. I have been unsuccesful in finding further information, but the name is still on the official Louisiana state map. |
| Other Louisiana Czech Settlements |
| After finding the communities of Libuse and Kolin I thought I had exhausted the subject -- and then as I continued the search for information I came upon the following. But I have had little success in getting sufficient information. What's presented here is a mere peek at what information I'm seeking. If you have any information about any of this please contact me at: Jim Hlavac -- Louisiana Czech |
| If you have any information on these Czech Families and Settlements, or any other Czech families and settlements in Louisiana I would be very interested in hearing from you at Jim Hlavac -- Louisiana Czech |