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Secrets of Traverse City's Past at Bishop & Heintz

The large brick Bishop & Heintz law offices building on the corner of West Front and Oak Streets in downtown Traverse City is one that has a little known past, despite its classy appearance and the part it played in the town’s history. However, unless you ask the right person the right questions, that historical significance is overlooked.

Asking local historian, Bob Wilhelm about the history of the building on this issue’s cover of Stroll™ lead to a very simple answer. Before Doug Bishop and Pat Heintz, the building has served only two groups of people. It was built around 1905 to be the third and largest Bohemian Hall in Traverse City. Too large for the group to truly utilize, however, it was sold to the Knights of Columbus during the early 1930s. According to a Knights of Columbus member, they used it for several years, and then sold it to the VFW between 1945 and 1946, which used it all the way through the 1980s. The building sat vacant for a time, until Bishop & Heintz purchased it and beautifully renovated it to be used for their law offices, which it is currently.

Needing more information than that, I realized that every time I had spoken with Bob (or anyone, really) about the history of Traverse City the “Bohemians” came up. So I finally asked, “What is the significance of the Bohemians? Who were they, and where did they come from?” Away we went.

It was a long journey for the first Bohemians to come to Traverse City, Michigan. They came from a small town just south of then Prague, Czechoslovakia called Ondrejov. Europe was tumultuous prior to and during the 1850s, and this area was no exception. The people there, mostly middle class merchants, were becoming desperate to escape, fearing the worst for themselves and their families. The story is told that a man came to Ondrejov trying to sell American real estate, and he convinced some families to leave for America—the land, of course, of great promise and freedom. Around 1853, John Wilhelm packed up his family and came to the United States. They chose to travel “the old fashioned way” on a sail boat, since they had heard of a steam vessel exploding in New York Harbor. The trip took six weeks. The family had to stay in New York for a short time to earn enough money to take a train to Chicago.

While in New York they met up with another family with similar hopes, the Anton Bartak family. In no time, the two families were traveling on together to Traverse City, recruited by Mr. Grelick for the Hannah & Lay Company.

The Bohemian families boarded another sailboat, the Telegraph, in Chicago, which brought them up the coast of Lake Michigan to Traverse City. In 1854 they finally landed in what would become their new home, and they settled very near to what is now the Traverse City Country Club. (A short time later they moved just south of Traverse near what became Wilhelm Park, and then Gold Star Park where land was better for farming.)

It was not long before John Wilhelm’s son Anthony had saved enough money working in lumbering to open a millenry (a store specializing in ladies’ hats, gloves, and other accessories). The store was to be run by his sister and was going to be on 8th and Union Streets, but his sister was not as interested in running the store. At the urging of their Bohemian neighbors, in 1886 Anthony and his brother Emanuel used the building for a Bohemian clothing store, called Wilhelm Brothers, which it remained for 100 years.

For nearly 15 years, the brothers operated the store. Then in 1900, Emanuel decided to build Traverse City’s first “skyscraper.” He built a five-story building and opened another clothing store, competing with his brother. His business did not last long, however. When he closed his store, he became the Postmaster for Traverse City and was then became the city’s first elected Democratic mayor.

Many businesses near that intersection, as well as throughout Old Town were started by Bohemian businessmen and women. Some of those include an undertaking establishment, Novetney’s Tavern (where the only women allowed in were members of the Salvation Army), a grocery store, and several others. Eventually some of those businesses moved to Front Street or other parts of downtown, but the Bohemian people had a strong presence in the development of Traverse City’s downtown and in the social community that developed, also.

By around 1900, the Bohemian people of the community had outgrown two different buildings they had been using as halls, or gathering places. By approximately 1905, the third and largest Bohemian hall (now the Bishop & Heintz building) was completed on the corner of West Front and Oak Streets.

For three decades, families such as the Wilhelm’s, Bartak’s, Martinek’s, Petertyl’s, Sladek’s, Sleder’s, Votruba’s, Novotny’s and many others used the building on this issue’s cover as a gathering place where they could celebrate their heritage together. Weddings, holiday celebrations, dinner parties, masquerade balls, and countless other events took place there.

After 30 years of Bohemian events, gradual lack of participation lead them to realize it was too large a building to justify and take care of, so they sold it and it became the first VFW hall in Traverse City (which it remained until around 1990). The Bohemians opened the fourth and last hall just east of Division near Second and Third Streets.

Today, people do not celebrate their heritage in the public manner that was so common during the late 1800’s and early to mid 1900’s, but there are many descendents of those early settlers here today.

The building on the corner of West Front and Oak Streets sat vacant from 1990-1993, when Doug Bishop and Pat Heintz purchased it. They spent over a year renovating and restoring this beautiful historic landmark to hold their law offices. Bishop & Heintz, as an entity, and as individual attorneys, very much recognize the value of their local community, and are committed to community support, as a firm philosophy. The firm places a high priority on contributions to its immediate and extended community and directly supports and encourages support for the Grand Traverse Area Public and parochial school system, area arts and culture, Northwestern Michigan College and the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, as well as other non-profits providing services to the community and local businesses.

Senior attorney Doug Bishop was recently re-elected to a six-year term as Trustee for Northwestern Michigan College and senior attorney Pat Heintz, along with Jerry Colligan, of counsel to the firm, were the recipients of the first two Annual Madeleine Thomas Awards, presented by the Bar Association to the local attorney who has made the greatest contribution to the local community.

Bishop & Heintz attorneys are active as current or past board members and officers of many local organizations, including the Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools, Traverse City Area Public Schools, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City Rotary Club, Traverse City Chamber of Commerce, Traverse City Area Chamber Foundation, Sunrise Rotary Club, Grand Traverse Bay YMCA, and coaches for numerous youth athletic teams.

Senior attorney Pat Heintz has been instrumental in the Gladhander fundraising event for the Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools since its inception, and was a member of the initial class of Leadership Grand Traverse. He most recently spearheaded a successful effort to create a pediatric oncology program at Munson Medical Center. Senior attorney Doug Bishop has served as a board member and chairman of the Traverse City Chamber of Commerce, and the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA, as well as president of the Suffolk University Law School Alumni Association.

With extensive experience and expertise, the firm is committed to providing a broad spectrum of quality legal services for its clients in Traverse City, northwestern Michigan and across the country. Its attorneys are licensed to appear in all Michigan State and Federal courts.

The firm is engaged in general practice with special emphasis in commercial matters, litigation, criminal defense, patent, trademark and copyright, domestic relations, negligence, real estate, and related areas. The firm is the preeminent provider of intellectual property legal services in northern Michigan and has obtained many significant victories in litigation matters, including personal injury representation, throughout northern Michigan. Bishop & Heintz encourages you to be a part of and support your local community downtown and would welcome the opportunity to assist in any legal matters which may arise. They are located at 440 West Front at Oak; by telephone at 231-946-4100, or on the Internet at www.bishopheintz.com.