CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — As the city of Cedar Rapids moves forward with plans to make major changes to the Czech Village area, some pieces of its past will be removed.
Sidewalk tiles, advertising former Czech Village businesses and organizations, will be removed from a pedestrian walkway next to the former Sykora Bakery, 73 16th Ave. SW.
City Engineer Ken DeKeyser said the city took control of the walkway and Czech Village parking lots in December.
The sidewalk tiles are located on a pedestrian walkway next to the former Sykora Bakery. (photo/Cindy Hadish)
The entire promenade is being replaced due to the condition of the paving and for utilities replacement, DeKeyser said, adding that the tiles will be salvaged, with the Czech Village/New Bohemia Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District determining their ultimate outcome.
That raises a concern for Cedar Rapids historian Mark Stoffer Hunter, who wondered if the pieces would survive removal.
“I think they’ll fall apart when they go to pull them up,” he said.
Already, some of the business names are obscured after sustaining damage, while others appear intact.
Some of the tiles have sustained damage, including one advertising a former meat market, as shown in April 2024. (photo/Cindy Hadish)
Tiles were originally installed in Czech Village as the historic business district was being established as a tourist attraction in the late 1970s up to 1980, Stoffer Hunter said, as an homage to the sidewalk tile advertisements on the other side of the Cedar River, in the area now known as New Bohemia.
Those tiles, which dated from approximately 1910 to 1915, promoted businesses in the predominately Czech commercial district, such as the former Sinclair meatpacking plant’s Fidelity brand.
Tile sidewalk advertisements were replicated in New Bohemia in 2011. (photo/Cindy Hadish)
While the city replaced the tiles in New Bohemia with replicas that didn’t hold up well to Iowa’s weather, the originals can be seen at Parlor City Pub and Eatery, 1125 Third St. SE.
DeKeyser said the Czech Village sidewalk tiles were installed in 2006 to 2007, but Stoffer Hunter said he believes they are the original ones dating back to 1980 or so, with tributes to places such as the former Ernie’s Tavern, on the other side of the walkway, 69 16th Ave. SW — now Czech Town Station — and Bartunek Appliance, now home to Sweet Mercantile Soda Fountain & Candy Shop, 98 16th Ave. SW.
Related: Old-fashioned soda fountain evokes bygone era
A rendering from the city of Cedar Rapids shows the promenade connection to the forthcoming roundhouse.
Regardless, Stoffer Hunter said the sidewalk tiles “recognize a moment in time. It’s really representative of that early Czech Village concept phase of history in Cedar Rapids.”
“I would love to see those still there,” he added. “From a historian’s standpoint, they’re just as important as representing the 1980 era as the 1910 to 1915 era on the east side.”
Bob Schaffer, owner of Czech Cottage, 100 16th Ave. SW, said he understands the time and expense that would go into preserving the pieces, but would like to see them go to the families and business owners if they can’t remain in place.
“I’d very much like to see them restored,” Schaffer said. “It’s a piece of history that I’d love to see go back in there.”
The tiles that formed a tribute for the Sokol organization have sustained damage. (photo/Cindy Hadish)
Judy Vondracek, board president of Sokol Cedar Rapids and the Cedar Rapids Czech School, both of which are represented on the walkway, said the two organizations were not consulted regarding the forthcoming removal of the tiles, which DeKeyser said will likely happen next year.
Construction on the entire project, called the LightLine Loop, is scheduled to begin this spring and will include added parking spaces, construction of a “roundhouse” with rentable space, arched signs and more.
Read more: Cedar Rapids sets stage for new Czech Village roundhouse
THIS SUCKS!!
My father was the owner of Ernie’s Ave.Tavern for over 25 years. He was one of the founders of the Czech Village Association, which helped shape and change the avenue. It saddens me that these may be removed. It is a part of the area’s history and recognizes the businesses and people that are no longer with us. I know my father’s is a replica of when the original was removed, but if it is going to be taken out, I’ll assist and claim it.
Thank you for your note, Teresa. I hope the families can claim them if they won’t be restored. Do you know when the originals were installed and what happened to those?
They were installed after B Street was closed. Not sure what year that was. I cannot speak for the other original ones, but ours was claimed and a family member has it.
Thank you, Teresa!
Please salvage and restore these! It would be wonderful to see them again in Czech Village (what we always just referred to as “the avenue”).
I think it’s terrible that they are removing them. The city should do better.
I agree. It’s a part of the heritage of that area of Cedar Rapids. We have done so much to maintain and improve 16th Ave and New Bo and market that area of Cedar Rapids and it’s history that I think it’s a shame to remove the tiles.
I was born and raised here in Cedar Rapids with Czech Village having a huge place in my heart. I attended Czech School For 4 years as a child and it shaped my knowledge of foreign language and other cultures. I grew up knowing I was a quarter Czech and have always wanted to learn more about what the culture is all about. We always wore our red clothes and attended St. Joseph’s day parades and celebrated Hobby days in the village. Historical landmarks such as these tiles are a huge reminder of our past and should be treasures
First of all, at the time, we weren’t “Czechs”. We were “Bohemians”. There was no Czechoslovakia, only a Duchy in the Austrian Empire called Bohemia. It was Bohemia for 1000 years before that. If you talked to the old timers at the time, including my grandfather, we were Bohemians, and the language, “Bohemie”. Even though he and his father was born here, and spoke perfect English with no accent, he also spoke fluent “Bohemie”. They spoke that at home.
I worry that the tiles will be removed and the city will somehow lose them, as they did with the rock wall off Mt. Vernon Rd. At one time there where slabs of the tiles still in concrete behind the buildings of BoMacs and the Social Club. Not sure what happen to those.
Why is it Cedar Rapids is always in a hurry to erase the past, history is very important and should be preserved. Save the tiles.