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Defining the Polish
Legacy in Nebraska and
the world
The Polish Heritage Center was incorporated in 1997 in an
effort to preserve the ancestral language, culture and
traditions of one of the most significant immigrant groups to
settle in Nebraska. The small village of Ashton, where the
Center is located is a hub of this ethnic region. It has seen
waves of immigrants, first Germans and later Poles. Since
the late 1800's, Ashton has been the epicenter from which
their descendants have spread out across the nation.
Today, in their establishment of a Polish Heritage center,
both current and former residents join in their efforts to
preserve the culture of their origin.
Both geographically and culturally many of these
descendants have seen weakening in their links to
their past. The Center began as an initiative to
re-educate both young and old in an effort to
maintain a proud heritage. The Center is repository
of cultural artifacts such as irreplaceable books,
music and local genealogical records. It houses early
photographs and art. It provides a meeting place to
support the accomplishment of educational goals and
activities.
We invite you to visit the center's museum, which offers
unique displays and relics of the past. As well, the Center
offers a glimpse into the emerging role of today's Poland.
Cultural heritage is a living and ever-changing thing. It is
more than a time-worn snapshot of and earlier period. The
cultural threads which are embedded in early examples of
folk art and music, are today reflected in monumental
changes in the Polish Homeland. One of the educational
goals of the Center is to update and transform popular
stereotypes into a broader understanding of the modern
Polish homeland and culture. Your membership and
donations will help achieve these goals.
Legacy in Nebraska and
the world
The Polish Heritage Center was incorporated in 1997 in an
effort to preserve the ancestral language, culture and
traditions of one of the most significant immigrant groups to
settle in Nebraska. The small village of Ashton, where the
Center is located is a hub of this ethnic region. It has seen
waves of immigrants, first Germans and later Poles. Since
the late 1800's, Ashton has been the epicenter from which
their descendants have spread out across the nation.
Today, in their establishment of a Polish Heritage center,
both current and former residents join in their efforts to
preserve the culture of their origin.
Both geographically and culturally many of these
descendants have seen weakening in their links to
their past. The Center began as an initiative to
re-educate both young and old in an effort to
maintain a proud heritage. The Center is repository
of cultural artifacts such as irreplaceable books,
music and local genealogical records. It houses early
photographs and art. It provides a meeting place to
support the accomplishment of educational goals and
activities.
We invite you to visit the center's museum, which offers
unique displays and relics of the past. As well, the Center
offers a glimpse into the emerging role of today's Poland.
Cultural heritage is a living and ever-changing thing. It is
more than a time-worn snapshot of and earlier period. The
cultural threads which are embedded in early examples of
folk art and music, are today reflected in monumental
changes in the Polish Homeland. One of the educational
goals of the Center is to update and transform popular
stereotypes into a broader understanding of the modern
Polish homeland and culture. Your membership and
donations will help achieve these goals.
Connections:
Polish Heritage Center
P.O. Box 3 226 Carlton Ave.
Ashton, Nebraska 68817
308-738-2249
Contact us by e-mail
Click Here
Other Contacts:
Contact Persons:
John Maschka President
Cyril Skorupa, Vice President 308-384-8867
Jeanette Siwinski. Secretary 308-338-2268
Phyllis Piechota, Museum and Gift Shop 308-738-2260
The center is located in Ashton NE. It houses a
headquarters office, museum, library, a genealogical
collection, meeting rooms and a gift shop. The building
itself is the renovated, former convent of the St Francis
Catholic Church.
Directions: From the Grand Island/Highway 281
exit of Interstate 80, proceed North 28 miles to the
town of St. Paul. At St. Paul, head west on Highway
92 for 18 miles.
Hours: The center is open to the public from
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM each Sunday and during the week
by appointment only. Please call (308) 738-2260 for
appointment.
Admission: $3.00. Free to members. (Call for
membership information)
P.O. Box 3 226 Carlton Ave.
Ashton, Nebraska 68817
308-738-2249
Contact us by e-mail
Click Here
Other Contacts:
Contact Persons:
John Maschka President
Cyril Skorupa, Vice President 308-384-8867
Jeanette Siwinski. Secretary 308-338-2268
Phyllis Piechota, Museum and Gift Shop 308-738-2260
The center is located in Ashton NE. It houses a
headquarters office, museum, library, a genealogical
collection, meeting rooms and a gift shop. The building
itself is the renovated, former convent of the St Francis
Catholic Church.
Directions: From the Grand Island/Highway 281
exit of Interstate 80, proceed North 28 miles to the
town of St. Paul. At St. Paul, head west on Highway
92 for 18 miles.
Hours: The center is open to the public from
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM each Sunday and during the week
by appointment only. Please call (308) 738-2260 for
appointment.
Admission: $3.00. Free to members. (Call for
membership information)
Your Membership is gateway to
special events throughout the
season offer the rich tastes of a
proud past including:
Polish Fest traditional music, food and fun each
September.
Memorial Polka Mass for the community's
departed held in during Polishfest.
Christmas Wigilia Observance in December,
Parish Hall Ashton
Artistic, musical and educational events
presented throughout the year
Quarterly Newsletters and updates of the Center's
activities
Free access to the museum, its library and
geneological records.
special events throughout the
season offer the rich tastes of a
proud past including:
Polish Fest traditional music, food and fun each
September.
Memorial Polka Mass for the community's
departed held in during Polishfest.
Christmas Wigilia Observance in December,
Parish Hall Ashton
Artistic, musical and educational events
presented throughout the year
Quarterly Newsletters and updates of the Center's
activities
Free access to the museum, its library and
geneological records.
Looking for an overview of the
complete history of Poland Since it's
beginning? Try out this link..
complete history of Poland Since it's
beginning? Try out this link..
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| Join us now in Preserving and celebrating our Polish Heritage |
The Polish Heritage Center is and outgrowth of ideas
initially put forth during the 1989 Ashton Centennial.
Elaine Dart, a former Ashton resident, followed up on
the notion and spearheaded the long process of
bringing the Center into reality. Through generous
donations from Dr. Phillip and Ruth Maschka, the St.
Francis convent was purchased in March of 2000.
During the Grand Opening of the Center's permanent
home, visitors from ten states and Canada
participated in the festivities.
initially put forth during the 1989 Ashton Centennial.
Elaine Dart, a former Ashton resident, followed up on
the notion and spearheaded the long process of
bringing the Center into reality. Through generous
donations from Dr. Phillip and Ruth Maschka, the St.
Francis convent was purchased in March of 2000.
During the Grand Opening of the Center's permanent
home, visitors from ten states and Canada
participated in the festivities.
The Polish Heritage Center Inc.
Ashton,Nebraska
Ashton,Nebraska
Polishfest 2009
See what you missed or share what
you saw on You Tube!
Thre Polish heritage Center sponsored its first
essay contest geared towards allowing school age
participants to reflect upon their own heritage and
the contributions of Poles in the world at large.
The first place essay was submitted by Eilish R.
Hill of Papillion, NE...
The Accomplishments of Polish-Americans One can always revel in
the accomplishments of fellow Americans. Even more so can one
revel and even rejoice in the achievements of fellow Polish-Americans.
In their accomplishments all people of Polish decent somehow share
the glory, for all people with polish heritage have sprouted from the
same root, which is Poland. Therefore everyone in this category is
linked.
Three people that embody the work of Polish-Americans and make
one proud to be of polish decent are Andy Warhol, Maria Siemonow,
and Mieczysaw G. Bekker. Andy Warhol (formerly Andy Warhola) has
garnered pride in the hearts of Polish- Americans with his
accomplishments. As an artist, Andy Warhol fathered a change in art
which has endured the test of time. His style was like nothing at the
time with its repetitive images that changed drastically in hue
throughout the painting. His paintings embodied the time, with
the Campbell's soup can and Marilyn Monroe portraits. America was
changing and Andy Warhol was there to capture it and become the
father of forever iconic images along the way. Today Andy Warhol has
countless collectors, museum displays across the country, and a
dedicated fan base of Polish-Americans,
In medicine advances are always being made, and one
Polish-American by the name of Maria Siemonow has made a major
advancement in facial reconstruction. She is part of a team of doctors
who performed the first partial face transplant in America. This
accomplishment has earned her recognition and awards. This
includes her home country of Poland gifting her with an achievement
award. Her accomplishments have paved the road for future surgeons
with hopes and desires to help rebuild the faces of people who have
been ravaged by injury. Her accomplishments in experimental facial
reconstruction have helped earn Polish-Americans everywhere a good
name.
Lastly are the achievements of Mieczysaw G. Bekker. He is the
founder of "Terramechanics" which is the primary science used to craft
the moon rovers. This fact leads to his next accomplishment of being
an essential part ofthe Apollo missions is, 16, and 17. Mieczysaw
helped clear the way for many moon missions to come, with the key
role he played in creating and checking the science behind the
missions and the missions themselves. Mr. Bekker's work in the field
of science has inspired not only Polish-Americans but fellow
Americans in general.
In conclusion, these famous Polish-Americans have earned the
respect and honor of all people through their astonishing
accomplishments. Andy Warhol earned respect through his
revolutionary art. Maria Siemonow can be honored through her
advancements in facial reconstruction. Lastly Mieczysaw G. Bekker is
revered by many for his extensive work with NASA and the
development of "Terramechanics". These people have caused
Polish-Arnericans to be accepted as a viable piece of the population.
Never Forget Your Family by Casey Wilson
Loup City, NE (2nd Place entrant)
It takes an intelligent person to be in politics not to mention what a
genius someone must be to be into science, art, and the military as
well. Yet, that's something we the people of Polish Heritage can
take pride in. We have the famous in our blood from Fryderyk Chopin,
a gifted pianist and composer who was an inspiration to pianists
everywhere and whose fingers worked like maps finding the perfect
key, to Korczak Ziolkowski who sculpted Crazy Horse in the Black Hills
and was a member of the artists who sculpted the heads on Mount
Rushmore. The Polish have had more than an impact on America
from traveling here to shaping the land we know and love.
Above the famous in our blood we have the Polish. Just being Polish
makes you one to recognize for all of the efforts of our ancestors. The
first Poles in the United States came as exiles forced out of their own
country for Political issues. It's hard to imagine what life would be like
in a new country and starting life from the beginning but the Polish
lived their life like no one else could. They made it work.
The next group of Polish immigrants who came to America came for
economic reasons and were known as the za chleben or bread
immigrants. These immigrants were made up of the rural class. They
e the ones who became the steel workers, meat packers, miners, and
later on, auto workers. These hard working laborers who became well
known for the quality of their products. The next group of dwellers that
came to live in the United States were those of German, and Austrian
Poles. Most of the German Poles came to settle in America because
of the German policy taking power away from the Catholic Church. The
Russian and Austrian Poles however, came for much different
reasons than most. Of course, there was the overpopulation and land
hunger, like others experienced, yet one gargantuan incentive to move
to the U.S. was the letters they received from loved ones already living
in the United States. Others also came fleeing the military draft. The
irony is abundant as many Polish citizens had and continue to have a
great influence in our military.
The last groups of Polish Immigrants continue to settle in the United
States today. This group is varied from short term to long term settlers.
Yet from the beginning of the Polish arrival, to immigrants
presently coming to America, and those of us who share the
ancestors of the past, we all have something in common. We are
proud to be Polish Americans and reflect in the past of our ancestors
as the true Polish prided individual would. All of us know that there's
one true rule to being Polish and that is, "Never forget your family", and
none of us have.
The Accomplishments of Polish Americans
by Shianne Hermsmeyer (3rd Place Entrant)
Today is the first day I have really thought about what the Polish
people have really accomplished. The Polish-Americans have been
around even before the United States was present. A specific person
that had great accomplishments was a man named Edmund
Muskie-(Marciszewski). Edmund was a well accomplished U.S.
politician. He also served as a senator for twenty-two years. Korczak
Ziolkowski was a Polish- American who was the creator of the Crazy
Horse statue in the Dakota Black Hills. Polish-Americans are not only
politicians, but also artists. One of his quotes was "Artistic talent is a
gift to you, it can very seldom be taught to you. Be bold. Always be bold.
Know your subject until you feel your subject." Another successful
person in politics was Dr.Zbigniew Brzezinski. He was given the
Presidential Medal of Freedom for the normalization between the U.S.
and China. I look up to these people because they could have very well
have been the people who brought politics and art into the U.S.
Throughout history, Polish-Americans have been honored for being
in the military. That is a great thing that needs to be done around the
world no matter what might be your background. All Polish-Americans
need to be honored for everything they have done for the United States.
General Pulaski battled in the Battle of Savanah. There are so many
others who fought in Civil Wars and other battles that I cannot even
name all of them. Maybe you know some people that have fought in
these wars. Say thanks to them today.
To change things a little bit, we have an amazing woman who
accomplished something amazing. This amazing person I am talking
about is Stephanie Kwolek. She invented the fiber that is used in bullet
proof vests. She is a natural hero! Without her great invention there
would be people such as policemen and soldiers that would be dead
right now that may have tried to use other vests that were not bullet
proof. Stephanie has been honored for her work by receiving the
National Medal of Technology. Polish-Americans have given us the
option to do great work in politics, artistry, and ways to protect
ourselves. Say thanks to our Polish-Americans and show them that
they are appreciated.
| December 13th Wigilia Celebration provides a re-enactment of a traditional Polish Christmas Eve vigil meal. |