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About the year 1880, many families, predominantly Bohemian and German, began moving into the area. In 1884 a group of men with Albert Barta, my great-uncle, as chairman, drew up the articles of incorporation of St. Wenceslaus Cemetery. The Catholic families attended services in Antigo until drawing up a charter for their own church in 1897. In 1900 with the influx of Bohemian immigrants, construction was begun of a Bohemian church. The first mass said in Bohemian was by Rev. Francis Kolar. In 1939, Rev. Henry Hubert started construction of the current church building as the older wooden structure was becoming too small to accommodate the parish. The first church stood just south of the current garage. Parishioners worked busily hauling stones, granite, digging, etc. for many years, with WWII delaying completion, before the cornerstone was laid in 1950. Rev. Hubert was instrumental, not only in the building of this unique round church, but also with the erection of the Crucification group in the center of the cemetery grounds, the Fatima Shrine on the northwest corner of the church grounds, and the Resurrection and Good Sheppard Shrine at the entrance of the cemetery. I did my share in maintaining the grounds too, as Father Hubert recruited his alter boys to mow the grass on weekends during the summer. The Town of Neva Bohemian Nat'l Cemetery is immediately adjacent to the Catholic cemetery to the north. For many years, a lodge organized by a Czech fraternal organization, stood at the entrance to the cemetery. Lodge Nova Vlast 97, also known as the ZCBJ lodge, held their first meeting on Dec. 9, 1900 in what was then the Modern Woodmen of America hall. Frank Pinkner was elected as the first president. By 1909, the lodge had nearly 100 members. Many picnics and raffles as well as business meetings, all held in the Czech language, flourished here until 1969. With the passing of the older generation and their customs, attendance dwindled and the building fell into disrepair. It has since been removed and with it, a wonderful piece of Americana. But the souls of those who nurtured it, rest peacefully nearby. My great-grandmother, all my grandparents, and my parents are buried here.
“WISCONSIN SPIRIT QUEST”
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Congratulations to huggybear2u on the FTF.