Polish Salem was a much smaller settlement than those in the Midwest (particularly in Chicago), Boston, or other Massachusetts cities. But regional, national, and transnational politics and culture were reflected in Salem's local organizations, along with the specific culture of this small New England maritime city. The heart of a community is, of course, its people. The Polish community in Salem has been fortunate from its beginning to have had a number of active leaders throughout the years.
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Salem Maritime National Historic Site
Article 1: The Sobocinski Family
One of the older Sobocinski brothers, Wladyslaw, and his wife, Franciszka, were already in their thirties with a growing family of their own when they came to Salem. Both Wladyslaw and Franciszka became very involved in Salem's Polish community. Read more
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Salem Maritime National Historic Site
Article 2: Herman Tyburc
Herman Tyburc was a founding member of the St. Joseph Society in 1899. He rose quickly into leadership positions in the group becoming vice president in 1901 and president in 1903. Tyburc's background illustrates the regional, ethnic, linguistic, and national complexities of identity in the first generation of Polish settlement in the U.S. Read more
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Salem Maritime National Historic Site
Article 3: Teofil Bartnicki
Teofil Bartnicki first came to the U.S. in 1891 at the age of 16, but not settling for good in Salem until 1900. He was among the most energetic community leaders of the first generation, serving with Wladyslaw Sobocinski and others in the St. Joseph Society to build the St. Joseph Hall and establish a local Polish parish. Read more
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Salem Maritime National Historic Site
Article 4: Joseph and Hedwiga Kohn
Joseph and Hedwiga Kohn represented a new generation of leadership in Polish Salem, one that combined his self-made success with her inherited status. They were instrumental in the founding of a local chapter of the Polish National Alliance and the Women's Polish American Citizens Club was founded in Hedwiga Kohn's living room. Read more
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Salem Maritime National Historic Site
Article 5: Wanda Walczak
Part of the extended Sobocinski family and the first generation of Polish American children, Wanda Walczak was born in Salem in 1902. She was a member of the House of Seven Gables as a child, and later became very politically active, helping to establish a Polish presence in the city and the region. Read more
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Salem Maritime National Historic Site
Article 6: Mary Nowak
Mary Nowak came to the U.S. from the Austrian-occupied region of Poland at the age of three in 1913, making her one of Salem's last representatives from the immigrant generation of the early twentieth century. As a young woman, Mary sang in Salem’s Chopin Choir and was involved in many groups and activities in Polish Salem, including the Women's Polish American Citizens Club. She also worked in all three of Salem's main industries. Read more