Bohemian Flats (Borealis Books) - Softcover

Federal Writers Project

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0873512006 ISBN 13: 9780873512008

Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1986

Synopsis

The Bohemian Flats, first published in 1941, is a charming history of a small, isolated community that once lay on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, tucked underneath the Washington Avenue bridge. From the 1880s to the 1940s the village was home to generations of Swedish, Norwegian, Czech, Irish, Polish, and especially Slovak immigrants. This book's vivid descriptions of their traditions and adaptations offer an unusual insight into Minnesota's multi-ethnic heritage.

The Bohemian Flats discusses the early years of settlement on the Flats, the lifeways and celebrations of the residents, and the razing of most of the neighborhood in 1932; it also provides recipes "From the Flats Kitchens." This edition contains a new section of pictures of the Flats and an introduction by ethnic historian Thaddeus Radzilowski, who describes the genesis of the book in the WPA and answers more questions about the identities of those who lived on the Bohemian Flats.

About this title

About the Author:

As the books of the WPA's American Guide Series began to appear in the 1930s, federal administrators realized that an important story--that of the American people themselves--remained to be told. To tell that story "from the human angle" they initiated the ethnic studies project, aiming to produce books that were "colorful and interesting to the great American public." Many studies were started, but only a few were published before World War II put an end to the WPA.

About this edition

• Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society Press
• Publication date: 1986
• ISBN 10: 0873512006
• ISBN 13: 9780873512008
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 112