Bohemian Citizens' Benevolent Society

The story

A linden tree planted by Václav Havel grows in the beer garden here. The Bohemian Citizens' Benevolent Society was founded in 1892 in Astoria, Queens, to support Czech and Slovak immigrants and preserve their culture — schools, dramatics, libraries — while blending it with American life. Its clubhouse, now on the National Register of Historic Places, holds an indoor and outdoor bar complex with room for 800 people. Czech specialties, cold beer, and a century of community make this one of Queens' most enduring gathering places.