Czech Origins of the Chicago Grand Crossing Czech Community

While there is still much more research to be done, the main areas thus far identified lie southwest of Prague.

1 - Near Karlštejn Castle: Lužce and Vysoký Újezd

Most of the children of Josef Marek & Marie Wolf settled in Grand Crossing. The family originated from the nearby towns of Lužce and Vysoký Újezd [High Manor], just 5 miles north of Karlštejn Castle. Click here for a web page about this family's Czech origins.

2 - Radnice

Petr Koutecký was born at Modrejovice (2a) but married and moved to Radnice (2b). There his first child was born in 1877, only weeks before the small young family left for Chicago.

3 - Přeštice area, south of Plzeň

Mary Kanak, who married Josef Marek in Chicago, came from Přeštice. The Sedláček family came from the two nearby towns of Roupov and Dlouhá Louka [Long Meadow].

4 - Hořovice area

Josef Křikava, and probably his brother Frank Krikava (the saloon keeper), came from Chlustina.

5 - Oslov, Pisek area, southern Bohemia

Matej Han/Hahn (and his brother Josef and sister Barbora, who came to Chicago but not Grand Crossing) was born at the village of Tukleky in the parish of Oslov in the Pisek district of South Bohemia.