| Repository: | Western Reserve Historical Society |
| Creator: | Club of West Side Slovene Lodges |
| Title: | Club of West Side Slovene Lodges Records |
| Dates: | 1935-1988 |
| Extent: | 1.00 linear feet (1 container) |
| Abstract: | The West Side Slovenian National Home was founded in 1939 to serve the cultural and heritage needs of the Slovene immigrant community in the Denison Avenue neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. It served as a meeting place for Slovene fraternal organizations and provided dramatic, musical, educational, and cultural programs for Slovenes on Cleveland's West Side. The Home was organized and managed by the Club of West Side Slovene Lodges which was founded in 1930 to raise funds to build and then manage the operations of the West Side Slovenian National Home. The collection consists of articles of incorporation, bylaws, meeting minutes, event programs, membership and pledge ledgers, and financial reports. |
| MS Number | MS 5193 |
| Location: | closed stacks |
| Language: | The records are in English and Slovenian |
The West Side Slovenian National Home was established in 1939 to serve the fraternal and cultural needs of Slovenian immigrant families and mutual benefit societies residing in the vicinity of the West Side-Dennison Avenue area of Cleveland, Ohio. In early 1930, Paul Oblak, Sr. called a meeting for representatives of West Side Slovenian fraternal lodges. Those attending this initial meeting included Frank Zeleznik, Sr., Joseph Pultz, Carl Samanich, Frank Hunter, Mike Bizaj, Ciril Urbancic, Frank Pultz, Frank Maras, and Anton Gustinic. By June of 1930, the Club of West Side Slovene Lodges was established to solicit funds to establish the West Side Slovenian National Home. Membership certificates were sold within the Slovenian community, and in 1932 a charter was obtained from the State of Ohio. The charter lodges included the Lodges 135, 264, 544, and 742 of the Slovene National Benefit Society (S. N. P. J.); Lodges 214 of the American Slovenian Catholic Union (K. S. K. J.); Lodges 26 and 48 of the Slovenian Democratic Union (S. D. Z.); the Slovenian Home Ladies' Auxiliary; and the Slovenian Ladies Union Branch.
After eight years of fundraising through membership certificates, dramatic performances, and other activities, the Club purchased property at 6818 Denison Avenue. The existing buildings were used for the club bar, meeting rooms, balina alleys, a dance hall, and a kitchen. The property was officially dedicated as the West Side Slovenian National Home on June 25, 1939. The Home has served as a location for Slovenian fraternal and mutual benefit lodges to gather, and it has hosted cultural groups, singing clubs, and dramatic groups to enrich Slovene traditions and heritage. In 1947, the Singing Society "Triglav" was established at the Home. The Junior Circle No. 77, S. N. P. J., known as the Sparklers, was organized at the Home in 1950. This organization formally incorporated young people into the mission of the Home, and provided activities such as bazaars, handcrafts, baseball, bowling, and orchestra, and a beauty contest.
The West Side Slovenian National Home was a member of the Federation of Slovenian National Homes. While it did not have a large membership, it served the cultural and heritage needs of Slovenes in the Denison Avenue neighborhood of Cleveland until it closed in 1990. During its entire existence, the Home was managed by the Club of West Side Slovene Lodges.
The Club of West Side Slovene Lodges Records, 1935-1988 and undated, consist of articles of incorporation, bylaws, meeting minutes, event programs, membership and pledge ledgers, and financial reports.
This collection will be useful to researchers studying the history of the Slovenian immigrant community in Cleveland, Ohio, particularly on the West Side of the city in the Denison Avenue neighborhood. Those studying the culture, heritage, and social activities of Slovenes on Cleveland's West Side during the twentieth century will find this collection particularly useful. Those studying the history of the Club of West Side Slovene Lodges, its member organizations, and the West Side Slovenian National Home will find this collection useful. Researchers should note that the majority of the meeting minutes of the Club of West Side Slovene Lodges are in Slovenian.
None.
Related MaterialResearchers should also consult MS 4174 Slovenian National Home Records.
Separated MaterialAll photographs have been removed to the Cleveland Picture File.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 5193 Club of West Side Slovene Lodges Records, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Gift of the Club of West Side Slovene Lodges in 1990.
Processed by Margaret Burzynski-Bays in 2014.
Club of West Side Slovene Lodges Records 1935-1988 undated |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Board of directors, bylaws undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Board of directors, bylaws and articles of incorporation 1979 | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Board of directors, meeting minutes 1937-1939 | |||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Board of directors, meeting minutes 1939-1944 | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 | Board of directors, meeting minutes 1944-1953 | |||||||||
| 1 | 6 | Board of directors, meeting minutes 1953-1956 | |||||||||
| 1 | 7 | Board of directors, meeting minutes 1953-1961 | |||||||||
| 1 | 8 | Board of directors, meeting minutes 1961-1968 | |||||||||
| 1 | 9 | Board of directors, meeting minutes 1968-1975 | |||||||||
| 1 | 10 | Board of directors, meeting minutes 1976-1982 | |||||||||
| 1 | 11 | Certificate holders, conference minutes 1960-1982 | |||||||||
| 1 | 12 | Financial, census of retail business 1963 1972 | |||||||||
| 1 | 13 | Fortieth anniversary of the West Side Slovenian National Home, event program 1979 | |||||||||
| 1 | 14 | Membership, membership ledger 1949-1959 | |||||||||
| 1 | 15 | Membership, membership ledger 1962-1967 | |||||||||
| 1 | 16 | Membership ledger undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 17 | Membership, membership ledger (water damaged) undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 18 | Membership, pledge book 1935 | |||||||||
| 1 | 19 | Membership, pledge book 1939 | |||||||||
| 1 | 20 | Membership, roster undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 21 | Slovene National Benefit Society (SNPJ), event programs 1960-1988 | |||||||||
| 1 | 22 | Twentieth anniversary, West Side Slovenian National Home, proclamation 1959 | |||||||||
| 1 | 23 | West Park Slovenian National Home, event program 1979 | |||||||||