T.G. Masaryk Czech School

The Thomas G. Masaryk Czech School, named in honor of the first President of an independent Czechoslovakia, opened at this site amid elaborate ceremonies on September 4, 1921. It was established by the Freethinkers Bohemian School Association, a group of immigrants that adopted a charter in 1872 and was incorporated by the state of Illinois on March 12, 1897. Beginning in 1908, property was acquired on the southwest corner of 22nd Place and 57th Avenue in the Morton Park community of Cicero, and the cornerstone of the new structure was dedicated on May 8, 1921. The building has served cultural, fraternal, and educational purposes, including teaching the Czech language. Its first floor contains two classrooms, while the second floor has a book room and an apartment, and the third floor includes a library and a classroom. For nearly a century, the T. G. Masaryk School has stood as a vibrant symbol of the important role of Czech immigrants and their offspring in the history of the Town of Cicero.

Cicero, Illinois · United States