Abandoned Community House: Slovak Home Temple, Detroit

Between 1922 and 1923, this structure was built as the Slovak Home – a “home away from home” for immigrants who came to America from Hungary, Czechoslovakia and other countries during the 1920s.

This establishment had a banquet hall, dance floor, stage, banquet room/auditorium, retail spaces, and bowling alley. On Slavic holidays, parades would begin and end here, with the structure being the center of activities for Detroit immigrants. Many community meetings were held here, including UAW meetings for employees of the Packard Plant.

Used for banquets, receptions, weddings, and parties, the hall included a bar on the first floor. On New Year’s Eve 1949, 40 juveniles sneaked bottles of whiskey into the hall during the celebration and created havoc throughout the entire building. The kids were said to be members of the Harper Van Dy Gang, with ten of them convicted of disorderly conduct and fined $15-$25.

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In August 1962 Michael's Hideaway had their Grand Opening with dancing from 9pm ‘til 2am with entertainment provided by The Swinging Cornell sisters. By 1966 the name was changed to the Cavalier Lounge.

When the Packard plant shut down in the 1950s, other manufacturing jobs began leaving and the neighborhood population began to recede.

Currently, sitting at 7151 Strong Street in Detroit, the Slovak home is a mess, with a good portion of the roof gone, holes in the second story floor, and the main floor caving in. A photo gallery is below...