The Western Fraternal Life Association, previously known as ''Zapadni Ceska Bratrska Jednota'' () is a

fraternal benefit society A benefit society, fraternal benefit society, or fraternal benefit order is a voluntary association formed to provide mutual aid, benefit, for instance insurance for relief from sundry difficulties. Such organizations may be formally organized with ...

and financial services organization in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. The association has its roots in the

Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...

and Slovak immigrant community of the 19th century. It was once the second largest Czech-American

freethought Freethought (sometimes spelled free thought) is an unorthodox attitude or belief. A freethinker holds that beliefs should not be formed on the basis of authority, tradition, revelation, or dogma, and should instead be reached by other meth ...

fraternity in the United States.

History

The association was established in 1897 in

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

by immigrants from

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...

, as the Western Bohemian Fraternal Association (; ZCBJ). The aim of the association, like other fraternal benefit societies, was to provide insurance and financial security for people from a similar demographic, in this case Czech immigrants to the United States, as well as protecting and promoting the Czech heritage of the members. The organization was a western offshoot of the Czech-Slovak Protective Society (CSPS), which was based in the eastern states. ZCBJ founder members disagreed with some CSPS policies which were not tailored to their specific circumstances, especially about the calculation of payments to members, and the admission of women to the club's services. The motto of the society was "Truth, Love, and Loyalty", based on the purported values of the members and their community. In 1899, the association became one of the first fraternals to insure women. In 1919, members voted to insure juveniles. Membership was opened to all in 1947, and at the 1971 National Convention, members voted to change the name to the Western Fraternal Life Association. Members created lodges in their areas to celebrate holidays, host plays and dances, and speak the Czech language. The lodges became a source of support and solidarity for members during difficult periods, such as the Great Depression and the World Wars. , the association has more than 38,000 members from the states that Western is licensed in:

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...

North Dakota North Dakota ( ) is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

, and

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

Organization

The local units of the Association are called lodges, and the highest authority is the board of directors. In 1923 the organisation's headquarters were at 307 12 Avenue,

Cedar Rapids, Iowa Cedar Rapids is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. The population was 137,710 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Iowa, second-most populous city in Iowa. The city lies o ...

Historic buildings

There are over a dozen historic buildings of the association which are listed on the U.S.

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

: Notable lodges of the organization include: * ZCBJ Opera House (1903),

Verdigre, Nebraska Verdigre is a village in Knox County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 575 at the 2010 census. History Verdigre was platted in 1887 shortly before the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad was extended to that point. It took ...

, NRHP-listed. * Z.C.B.J. Hall Lodge No. 141 (1907),ZCBJ - WFLA LODGE #14
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Arthur, Wisconsin Arthur is a town in Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 759 at the 2010 census. The unincorporated communities of Cobban, Crescent, and Drywood are located in the town. Education The town is served by the Scho ...

, NRHP-listed. * ZCBJ Hall (1908), Tyndall, South Dakota, NRHP-listed. * Rad Slavin cis. 112 Z.C.B.J. Hall (1909),

Comstock, Nebraska Comstock is a village in Custer County, Nebraska, Custer County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 93 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. History Comstock was established in 1899 as a water stop on a new railroad line. It w ...

, NRHP-listed. * Lodge Zare Zapadu No. 44 (1909), Hayward Township in Freeborn County, Minnesota, NRHP-listed. * ZCBJ Hall (1910),

Haugen, Wisconsin Haugen ( ) is a village in Barron County, Wisconsin, Barron County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 266 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History Haugen was named in 1886 after the Norwegian people, Norwegian settle ...

, NRHP-listed. * Rad Plzen cis. 9 Z.C.B.J. (SD10-6) (1911), Morse Bluff, Nebraska, NRHP-listed. * Z.C.B.J. Tolstoj Lodge No. 224 (1911), in

Scio, Oregon Scio ( ) is a city in Linn County, Oregon, Linn County, Oregon, United States. Located east of Jefferson, Oregon, Jefferson and south of Stayton, Oregon, Stayton, it sits along Oregon Route 226 near the confluence of the north and south forks of t ...

, on the bank of Thomas Creek, NRHP-listed. * Z.C.B.J. Opera House (1913),

Clarkson, Nebraska Clarkson is a city in Colfax County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 658 at the 2010 census. History Clarkson was platted in 1886 when it was certain that a new railroad line extended to the site. It was named for T. S. Clarkson, ...

, NRHP-listed. * Z.C.B.J. Rad Tabor No. 74 (1914),

Dorchester, Nebraska Dorchester is a village in Saline County, Nebraska, United States. It is thirty-eight miles southwest from the Lincoln, Nebraska metropolitan area. The population was 596 at the 2020 census. History Dorchester was platted in 1870 when the Burl ...

, NRHP-listed. * ZCBJ Lodge No. 46 (1917),

Prague, Oklahoma Prague ( ) is a city in Lincoln County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,356 at the 2020 census, a 1.76 percent decrease from the figure of 2,388 in 2010. Czech immigrants founded the city, and named it after the Prague, capital of ...

, NRHP-listed. * Rad Jan Kollar cis 101 Z.C.B.J. (1921),

Du Bois, Nebraska Du Bois ( ) is a village in the southeast corner of Pawnee County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 124 at the 2020 census. History Du Bois was platted in 1886 when the railroad was extended to that point. It was named for Captain Ch ...

, NRHP-listed. * Western Bohemian Fraternal Union Hall (1925),

Meadowlands, Minnesota Meadowlands is a city in St. Louis County, Minnesota, Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 134 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. County roads in St. Louis County, Minnesota#CR 101 and up, Saint Louis Coun ...

, NRHP-listed. * Rad Saline Center cis. 389 Z.C.B.J. (1939),

Western, Nebraska Western is a village in Saline County, Nebraska, Saline County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 224 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History Western was laid out in 1872. It was likely named for Wesley West, a pioneer se ...

, NRHP-listed. * Lodge Boleslav Jablonsky No. 219, Poplar Grove Township, Minnesota, NRHP-listed. * Rad Sladkovsky Z.C.B.J. No. 8, Pishelville, Nebraska * Cesko-narodni sin-Milligan Auditorium,

Milligan, Nebraska Milligan is a village in Fillmore County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 241 at the 2020 census. History Milligan was laid out in 1887 when the Kansas City and Omaha Railroad was extended to that point. It was named for Frank Milli ...

* ZCBJ Lodge Ratolest Mladocechu No. 31 (1903),

Linwood, Nebraska Linwood is a village in Butler County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 88 at the 2010 census. History An attempt to settle the area was first made in 1857, on the banks of Skull Creek, a half-mile from current-day Linwood. A school ...

* ZCBJ Hall, west of

Hemingford, Nebraska Hemingford is a village in Box Butte County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 787 at the 2020 census. History Hemingford was incorporated as a village in 1886. The founder being a native of Hemmingford, Quebec, caused the name to ...

* Cecho-Moravan Hall No. 68,

Brainard, Nebraska Brainard is a village in Butler County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 330 at the 2010 census. History Brainard was laid out in 1878 when the railroad was extended to that point. It was named for David Brainerd, an American missio ...

* ZCBJ Lodge Lumír 34

Hutchinson, Minnesota Hutchinson is the largest city in McLeod County, Minnesota, McLeod County, Minnesota, United States. It lies along the South Fork of the Crow River (Minnesota), Crow River. The population was 14,599 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census ...

References

{{Lists of clubhouse buildings Organizations established in 1897 Czech-American culture Czech-American history Slovak-American history Diaspora organizations in the United States Ethnic fraternal orders in the United States Czech-Slovak Protective Society

History

Organization

Historic buildings

See also

References