Slovenski Dom (Slovenian National Home)
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Built in 1913, the Slovenski Dom, which means Slovenian National Home, is a historic building in Rock Springs, Wyoming. It was designed by Thomas Alma James to be a meeting hall for the city's Slovenian population. The building is one of many Slovenian National Home structures in the United States but it is the only one in Wyoming. It is significant in that it is serves as a symbol for ethnic diversity in Wyoming and the country. Today, it houses the Local Color Art and Gift Gallery Co-op. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.
Images
The Slovenski Dom, now a local art gallery and gift shop.
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Slovenians traveled with several other ethnic groups such as Croatians and Finns to the western United States in search of work and new life during the late 1880s. The Slovenian community in Rock Springs was one of the earliest in the United States and the largest in the town. The community decided to construct a meeting hall where they could meet and socialize. The building served in this capacity for 80 years.
Sources
http://wyoshpo.state.wy.us/NationalRegister/Site.aspx?ID=407. Retrived 5-11-15.
Bogart, Barbara A. http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/nrhp/text/97001601.PDF. 5-11-15.