Saint Wenceslaus Catholic Church - Chicago
(Sv. Vaclavsky)
1866 - 1955

Located in what is sometimes nicknamed "Praha or the Praha District", Saint Wenceslaus opened its doors before the Chicago Fire, a devastating event, which would come to alter this area and see many Bohemians move to newer Bohemian settlement areas of Chicago. What is significant is not only is Saint Wenceslaus the first Bohemian Catholic Church to be established in Chicago, but also that it survived the Chicago Fire of 1871, along with the church's various early records that are used by many of us to discover bits and pieces of our family genealogy.

Those records are part of the Family Search website, available free, to all of us (Registration, free, is required to use Family Search online resources.) (3)

Before Saint Wenceslaus, Catholic Bohemians would use other nearby Catholic churches. St. Peters, on Polk and Clark, and St. Francis, on Clinton and Mather, were nearby and Family Search online records reveal Bohemian surnames among the early records.  The difficulty of this was the existing local Catholic Churches did not have clergy who spoke Bohemian, making confession and other religious activities an obstacle to overcome. (4) This would change when activity began in 1863 to lead to Saint Wenceslaus opening its doors in 1866.

"On. August 14, 1863, they called a meeting at which it was decided to buy the property of W. W. Washburn, on De Koven and Des Plaines Streets for $1,100, and began to build a church as soon as possible. Eighty five families subscribed as parishioners and promised to help build the church and support the parish. They began building the church in 1865, and finished it the following year. It was a wooden combination building, comprising a church, school and living quarters for a priest. When the building was completely finished and the church furnished, Mr. John Kalal and Anthony Svoboda asked Bishop J. Duggan for a Bohemian priest, but the bishop had none to send. At the request of the parishioners and with the permission of the bishop, Rev. A. Lang of Dubuque, Iowa, came to Chicago and attended the parish for two weeks. After his departure, the Jesuits from Holy Family church said Mass in the new church every Sunday, but not knowing the Bohemian language could not hear their confessions until Rev. F. X. Sulak, S. J., came in April and attended to the parish regularly. Rev. F. X. Sulak, S. J., was born and studied in Kromeriz, Bohemia, and spoke the Bohemian language fluently. Rev. F. X. Sulak stayed, however, only two months, when he was recalled to give missions to the Bohemians and Poles scattered throughout the United States. (Saint Wenceslaus Image - (5))

After Rev. F. Sulak 's leave the parish was again without a pastor or an attending priest. During this time St. Wenceslaus Society took charge of the parish, and tried to get a priest for the parish. A day of great importance and an occasion for much rejoicing was October 28, 1866, when Rev. Joseph Molitor, the lately appointed priest, came to take charge of the parish. From that time on the parish made marked and steady progress. In 1867 a new organ and church bell were bought, and in 1869 more property, with a Baptist church was bought. The newly acquired church building was made into a school, which was given to the charge of the Franciscan Sisters, and a rectory was built on one of the vacant lots. The old church was also enlarged and remodeled." (6)

Saint Wenceslaus, by a shifting wind, or some other manner of good fortune, escaped destruction during the Chicago Fire. The Great Fire began very close to the church but the fire moved away, not toward, the church itself. (Map - Fire area, location of Saint Wenceslaus - (7)) The fire would change the composition of the neighborhood surrounding Saint Wenceslaus.  While Saint Wenceslaus church and its parish area would continue to prosper and grow, the rebuilding of the neighborhood would bring change. A portion of this early area of Bohemian settlement would not be rebuilt with many of the original Bohemians, who first lived there, returning.  Bohemian settlement would move outward coinciding with the development what woud become to be known as the Czech Pilsen district. (8)

"In 1877 the number of attending school children was so great that the five school rooms could not accommodate them, and more rooms had to be built. It was decided to raise the church and arrange school rooms and a home for the sisters on the ground floor.

In 1881 a church tower was erected and many improvements were made on the property. In 1887 the church was again remodeled, and beautiful new stained-glass windows set in, and in 1893 a fine new brick school building was erected on De Koven Street. During the following years many minor improvements were made on the property and buildings." (9)

In 1906, Father Joseph Molitor died.(Summary below)

The Fiftieth Anniversary of Saint Wenceslaus:

Bohemian Church Has Jubilee
"Bohemian Catholics yesterday celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the first Bohemian church and school in Chicago.  Exercises were held at St. Wenceslaus church, where Archbishop Quigley and Bishop Paul Rhode celebrated solemn high mass.  Judge Kickham Scanland and Charles Vopicka were among the speakers at the banquet held in the evening.  The church was founded by the late Rev. J. Moliter." (10) (Image Katolic 11)

"The Catholic community of St. Wenceslaus Church at De Koven and Desplaines Streets held a significant celebration yesterday. It commemorated the golden anniversary of the St. Wenceslaus Church and of the founding of the community itself. The prevailing beautiful autumn weather was an inducement to large crowds of our Catholic countrymen from other parts of Chicago to assemble around the historic church and help their local friends celebrate the festive event. Both the streets mentioned, as well as Bunker, Canal, and also, to some degree, Halsted Street, had put on a holiday garb for this occasion: From the roofs of our countrymen's houses waved American and Bohemian flags, and many also carried garlands and festoons of fresh greenery and flowers. The school, the church, and the parish, in addition to all such decorations, were also adorned with flags of papal colors. The inside of the church made a surprisingly beautiful impression with its profuse decoration of fir tree branches and thousands of lights. Its pews and all standing room were filled to capacity long before the ceremonies started, and the doors had to be closed in order to stop the multitudes.....

The celebration consisted of a festive sermon preached by the Right Reverend Bishop Josef. M. Koudelka of Superior, Wisconsin. He spoke in Bohemian and his discussion centered around the golden jubilee of the church and the life of St. Wenceslaus, whose church celebration took place yesterday. After the sermon, Reverend Havlovic, with the assistance of Reverend Kohlbeck and Reverend Zenisek, celebrated a High Mass which was also attended by Archbishop J. E. Quigley and his chancellor. The Archbishop gave a short address in English in which he complimented Bohemian Catholic communities on their loyalty and progress. The music and choral singing were directed by our well-known conductor, Mr. Jan Geringer." (12) (Denni) (Note - additional information on Jan Geringer - https://csagsi.org/john-geringer/)

"In 1932 Saint Wenceslaus was lifted up and moved across the street.  "St. Wenceslaus' Roman Catholic church, which was six years old when the Chicago Fire started in 1871 a block from its site at De Koven and Des Plaines streets, is being moved to a new location.  Workmen yesterday were engaged in moving the old structure from the northeast corner of the intersection, where it was erected in 1865 to the northwest corner.  The Rev. T.M. Sampolinski is pastor of the church." (13)

St. Wenceslaus Church To Hold Special Service - "Next Sunday morning at St. Wenceslaus church, De Koven and Des Plaines streets, special services will commemorate completion of the remodeling of the historic edifice following its removal across the street.  Final touches have been made in repairing the tower of the church which was build in 1865.

It is recalled that, although hungry flames lapped about the church during the Chicago Fire, heat blistered its paint and sparks were blown against its roof, the edifice was spared.

This little church that withstood the terrible flames is still standing, a stanch symbol of the efficacy of faith, says the Rev. Thomas M Sampolinski, pastor." (14)