Pilsen’s 150th

To the editor:

As a headline last week stated, Pilsen is 150 years old. Celebration that ensued was to commemorate that anniversary. It was about Czech heritage, traditions, and people — the people who settled here and built a church, a store, a gas station, a bank, a garage that sold Case tractors, and Starlight Ballroom, where for many years traditional polka dances were put on.

The celebration’s parade was led by a Florence American Legion color guard. After reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, lifelong resident Robert Konarik was grand marshal for a parade with a variety of entertaining entries.

A unique contest — a Bohemian tractor pull, in which four-member teams physically pulled an antique tractor to a finish line — provided interesting entertainment. Teams of men, women, young, and not so young competed in one of the highlights of the day.

Area residents provided historical demonstrations of corn shelling and rope making that children were able to participate in. Tubs of heirloom Jimmy Red corn kernels overflowed, and lots of children were showing off with ropes they made by turning a crank of an antique rope machine themselves.

Ever-popular sack races were enjoyed by young and old alike as well as face painting, a fish pond, and a bouncy house for the kids. A cornhole tournament was popular as well.

An impressive array of Pilsen history to which area families had contributed was displayed in the church basement. Tables full of pictures, documents, stories, and memorabilia were pored over by visitors. Stories were shared with families, and elders passed on stories to children and grandchildren. The church basement was packed with interested visitors all afternoon.

Pilsen women baked 1,147 kolaches, a traditional Czech fruit-filled pastry that sold out by mid-afternoon.

Hamburgers and brats were grilled outdoors, and those choosing brats could have them topped with sauerkraut from a special Czech recipe.

A trap shoot was a popular event and included 30 competitors.

The celebration ended with a community center full of exuberant polka dancers, complete with traditional free hot dogs shared at intermission and a cake walk.

In recent years, Pilsen has become famous as the home of Chaplin Emil Kapaun. Father Kapaun is honored annually with a pilgrimage and celebration the first weekend in June. A museum in his honor is located in Pilsen.

Thanks to industrious people who were interested in commemorating Pilsen’s history, a day of festive activities was enjoyed by Pilseners, former residents, and family members returning to their roots.

Pilsen sesquicentennial committee