From National Register Nomination:
"Narodni Sin 19 CSPS 06
"National Hall Cecho Slovenský Podporující Spolky (Czechoslovak Protective Society) 1906." The letters on the front facade of the building tell but part of the story. National Hall was built in 1906 for Lodge No. 7 to accommodate the growing Edwardsville Czech community. From 1906 to 1971 the top floor of the building housed the activities of the lodge, including meetings, dances, language classes and gymnastics. All meetings were held in the Czech language until 1958. The lower level consistently housed soft drink and liquor establishments until 1969. Through the years the building also was home to societies and clubs such as the Lodge of Cahokia, Progressive Miners of America No. 71, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners No. 378, and Jeans and Janes Square Dance Club...
The first Czechs in the Edwardsville area, mostly farmers adn unskilled laborers, began to arrive as early as 1851 after the nationalist uprisings in the Austrian Empire in 1848. However, it was not until after the American Civil War that any substantial number of Czech immigrants arrived in the community. Mining and other opportunities for well-paid labor became open during this time...
In 1874, Jan Kalal, a twenty-five yer old Czech immigrant, arrived in the Edwardsville area. Kalal recognized the need for establishing an organization to aid in the schooling and helth and live insurance, as well as cultural center to retain the Czech heritage and cultural ways. Kalal was a member of Lodge Slovan No. 1 in St. Louis. Kalal and seventeen of his peers established Lodge Rolnick No. 7 and met on June 12, 1875 at Wabash Hotel in Edwardsville. Lodge Rolnick was chosen as the name for the occupation of many of the members, rolnici, or farmers. However, mining prospects in the area enticed more Czech immigrants to the Edwardsville area.
By 1881 the lodge had purchased an older two-story building for meeting purposes but due to the influx of immigrants who came because of the prospering mines during the late nineteenth century, a larger establishment was soon needed. Through a variety of activities, such as dances and picnics, the Czech community raised money to purchase property on Vandalia Street and constructed National Hall, which was dedicated on October 14, 1906. National Hall hosted a wealth of cultural activities. First, and possibly most important to the continuance of the Czech cultural tradition, was a Czech language school. Enrollment at the school peaked in 1910. The ethnic school was seen as a compliment to the public school. Children were taught language, tradition, personal values and in non-Catholic schools such as this one, Progressive thought. The fraternal organizations, in this case Lodge Rolnick supported schooling and spent large amounts of money on maintaining educational standards. Czech were, among other immigrant groups, most concerned about education, with an estimated literacy rate of 97 percent.
The lodge for many years also hosted a Sokol, or gymnastics society. Translated into English, Sokol means "falcon." The first Sokol was established in St. Louis in 1865, a mere three years after the first Sokol in Prague. Sokol was established to promote physical, cultural, and intellectual growth for its members and had a political background in Austro-Hungarian Bohemia. Grand Sokol events called slets, held in large cities in America and Bohemia, were gatherings not unlike the Olympic events, promoting national pride with competition and mass calisthenic demonstrations. Four slets have been held in St. Louis, in 1904, 1940, 1955 and 1965. Local groups would send athletes to compete in these large competitions. As early as 1908 a Sokol was established in Edwardsville and was active until at least 1950...
Membership of Lodge Svobodny Rolnick No. 26 began a rapid decline during the 1960s. Lack of industry in Edwardsville coupled with the lack of a younger generation of members to generate funds and maintenance led to the eventual selling of the National Hall building in 1971"
The building now is used for a paintball and skateboard store.