I'm curious about settlement patterns of Croatians in the US. I know that large groups settled in mining areas, such as Pennsylvania, Michigan's Upper Pennisula, and western Montana. Our immigrant was in Akron, Ohio working as a "rubberwork" during the 1910 census, and 15 years later was in Detroit. Was there a large Croatian community in Akron and Detroit? Were Croatian immigrants a major force in rubber production? James

Hello James, Yes there were substantial Croatian settlements in Akron, RC Church still exists there, Croatian Fraternal Union Lodge still exists. Don't know what you mean by "force in the rubberwork (tiremaking). BF Goodrich is one company that sent recruiters to Austro-Hungarian Empire to hire cheap labor. And Detroit also had/has a community, that is very active with a new church having been built in the past few years and rename Saint Lucy's (Sv. Lucija). Also there are many more places that have/had communities such as: Lorain Ohio -- immigrants worked in the steel and clothing industry. Croatia is the feature country at Lorain's Int'l Festival this year. They founded Saint Vitus (Sv. Vid) around 1929. Most Croatians settling there came from Medjumore and Prigorije regions. A Croatian Fraternal Union lodge still exists as well as a Croatian-American Club. The Club has recently purchased a new home. http://www.loraininternational.com/ Youngstown, Ohio St Peter and Paul is the Croatian church in Youngstown. This community also stretches into PA. There are several CFU lodges there today and an American Croatian Citizens Club. Like Lorain and Cleveland many worked in the steel industry. Also there is a picnic center, Strossmeyer Center, named after the Bishop from Djakovo Croatia who was a leader in the 1800-1900 Yugoslav movement. http://www.stjeromecroatian.org/eng/usacanada.html Columbus, Ohio A CFU lodge exists however they sold their home a few years ago. The only semi-professional Croatian folklore group, Zivili is based in Columbus. Ohio has had several Croatian/American policitians, inc. former US Rep. John KASIC (born in PA), and US Rep and former Cleveland Mayor Dennis KUCINIC. Also US Sen VOINOVICH is from a Slovenian and Serb background but his Serb side is from Croatia. http://home.columbus.rr.com/zivili/ Other Ohio towns and cities have Croatian American populations Cincinnati Not too many early immigrants settle in Cincy but here is a link to an article about a more recent immigrant http://www.cincypost.com/living/1998/vine082598.html Dayton Obviously for those early immigrants, of which about 60% were litterate, opportunities existed where ever there was need for labor. Home to many automotive related and the early home of aircraft making was such a place. Croatians setteled in enough numbers along with other "south Slavs" that today a folklore group exists. http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/3382/zivio.html Johnstown PA All through the hills of SW PA Croatian settled, Johnstown is one place http://www.rootsweb.com/~pacambri/books/Storey/v3/p268.html However places like Dunlo, Beaverdale, St. Michael, Sidman, South Fork, Salix and other towns around Johnstown Croatians could be found. My family is from the area and my great uncle Ivan BAKALE was instrumental in establishing the CFU home in Dunlo. http://www.rootsweb.com/~pacambri/books/Storey/v3/p268.html And don't forget Chicago which has had a long history of Croatian settlement. And Wheeling W Va and so forth. There are probably many more Croatian settlements in the US Croatian immigration continues today, with the most recent immigrants the being the victims of Serbia's war on Croatia. Most are displaced Bosnian Croatians. The media has talked very little about the plight of the smallest group in Bosnia which has had the largest percentage of displaced persons. But in a way they are infusing new life in older Croatian American communities and establishing new ones. I can tell you that Croatian immigration to Cleveland occured in several waves: late 1890s to 1913 many arr from Zumberak and established the only Byzantine Rite Croatian Church in N. America, Saint Nicholas, Sv Nikolas. Many more came to Cleveland from Roman Catholic areas http://www.midwest-croatians.org/archives/stnicholas.html The next wave were the refugees who fled the communist partisans. This group contained many highly educated professionals who became teachers, doctors, professors, etc.. They also established groups opposed to communist occupation of Croatia and contributed much to the independence of Croatia. And the newest group are those displaced by Serbia's wars. These folks were mainly skilled and unskilled workers and unlike the group after WW II not many professionals were among them. However they are prospering, establishing and buying homes, starting businesses, etc.. Unlike the group after WW II they did not flee communism. There have been some issues especially when church and social agencies begin these immigrants out on public assistance. The ones who have not been burdended by that do-good process have been the ones to succeed, while many who began on public assistance have not had the incentive to work and contribute! However the earliest Croatian immigrants settled in the places you and I have mentioned. Part of my family arrived in Johnstown in 1896, most arr from that time until just prior to the outbreak of WW I, 1913. The earliest Croatian immigrants to America settled in California and Louisiana and other Gulf towns. In California there are several CFU lodges and a Slavonic Benifit Society that is perhaps the oldest Croatian org in the US. The Slavonic web page has some great stories that can be listened to online http://www.slavonicweb.org/ Sacramento CFU lodges exist throughout CA http://www.cacc.com/Extravaganza/main.html Louisiana Folklife in Louisiana has several very good articles about Croatian settlement in that state http://www.crt.state.la.us/scripts/samples/search/folklifehit.idq Also there is an out of print book by Dr. Jure Prpic, retired John Carroll Univ. (Cleveland, Ohio) Prof about Croatian Immigrants in America. http://origins.safeshopper.com/129/1049.htm?0 http://www.croatianmall.com/stores/bn.htm Hope I did not stray to far off topic! Robert Jerin Croatian Heritage Museum ----- Original Message ----- From: "Birkholz, James" <James.Birkholz@usa.okmetic.com> To: <CROATIA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 08, 2002 1:47 PM Subject: [CROATIA-L] US Croatian hot spots > I'm curious about settlement patterns of Croatians in the US. > > I know that large groups settled in mining areas, such as Pennsylvania, > Michigan's Upper Pennisula, and western Montana. > Our immigrant was in Akron, Ohio working as a "rubberwork" during the 1910 > census, and 15 years later was in Detroit. Was there a large Croatian > community in Akron and Detroit? Were Croatian immigrants a major force in > rubber production? > > James >