Halls & Aid Societies in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Anthony was a member of St. Hyacinth, Polish Falcon Society and Polish National Alliance Society. Card parties, weddings, concerts, dances and beer drinking were common activities were popular ways for people from Poland to socialize together. Grand Rapids had forty or fifty “halls” owned by private societies of different immigrant groups. There were more Polish ones than any other nationality and there were eight Polish ones on the West side. They served many positive purposes such as a place to meet and socialize including wedding receptions, parties and other celebrations. They provided the fundraising to open parishes such as St. Adalbert and Sacred Heart. Some paid sick and death benefits, some were patriotic or religious, cooperating with the local parish. Some offered citizenship and language classes. They all had a bar and were allowed to serve liquor to members after paying a federal liquor tax. Some negative factors arose such as isolation instead of assimilation and scandals from inebriation and fighting. ("What Elimination of the Liquor Traffic Means to Grand Rapids" by Winthrop D. Lane, The Survey, November, 6 1920 and ,The Rise and Fall of the Grand Rapids Polonia.)

Some Local Halls: St. Hyacinth, corner of Ninth and Muskeon, 1886, McReynolds & Fourth St., 1908, war bonds, clothing drives, Polish Falcon Society 957 Fulton St. Polish National Alliance Society (Jacksont St., west of Lane Ave., 1878, active in Poland liberation, war bonds, political causes Polish St. Adalbert Casino, NW corner of Fifth and Davis (1872)., built parish, American & Polish patriotic causes West St. Side Knights of St. Casimir Hall, NE corner of Sixth and Davis (1895) . St. Hedwig's Hall, NE corner of Fourth and McReynolds (1904). Liquidated in 1970s. Presently a union hall (American Seating Company) . Taxpayers Hall, First Street, just east of Stocking, was burned out and the society liquidated. Originally built for Deutsche Landwehr Unterstutzungs Verein - German Army Benevolent Society. Polish Veterans Hall, Bridge Street east of Fremont, liquidated in 1982 and sold. Swantek Hall, a privately owned facility on Stocking at Second Street. Operation ceased long ago and building razed Sacred Heart & St. Joseph Societies (Gunnison and Park Ave.) 1909 St. Casimir Society 1884, purpose was liberation of Poland ("What Elimination of the Liquor Traffic Means to Grand Rapids" by Winthrop D. Lane, The Survey, November, 6 1920 and ,The Rise and Fall of the Grand Rapids Polonia. “Polish Societies In Grand Rapids, Michigan, Edward Symanski, Polish American Studies, Vol. 21, No. 2, pp 91-106)