Bohemia Historical Society
How Bohemia Got Its Name
From “Vavratown” to “Tabor” to the name that survived three attempts to erase it
The Old Country
European Roots
To understand our name, we must look back to the “Old Country.” Bohemia is the historical name for the westernmost region of the modern Czech Republic. The word itself is derived from the Boii, an ancient Celtic tribe that once inhabited the area long before the common era. By the 9th century, the Slavic Czechs had established a unified, powerful kingdom there. While the local inhabitants proudly call their homeland “Čechy” (pronounced Chekh-ee), the outside world has known the region for centuries by its Latinized name: Bohemia. Read more on Czechoslovakia
1855–1860s
The Era of “Vavratown” & Tabor
When the first three founding families — the Vavras, Kratochvils, and Koulas — settled here in 1855, the immediate area had no official designation. Because it was simply dense scrub oak and pine, it was known informally as “South of Lakeland” or “South of the Main Line” (referring to the Long Island Rail Road tracks to the north).
However, in those earliest hard-scrabble years, the settlement earned a highly localized nickname: “Vavratown.” Jan Vavra, one of the original visionaries who convinced his fellow musicians to trade their instruments for axes, was such a driving force and natural leader in the early community that the small cluster of pioneer homes was often referred to simply by his name.
By 1859, the growing community decided it was time to officially plant a flag. They recorded their settlement as the “New Village of Tabor” — named after the famous, historic city in their homeland founded by the religious Hussite reformers. (Fittingly, the word tábor also translates to “camp” or “encampment” in Czech.)
1860s–1885
The Birth of “Bohemia” & the Post Office
Despite the official registration of “Tabor,” municipal maps and property deeds were slow to catch up. Between the 1860s and 1880s, the town suffered from an identity crisis. It was referred to variously on documents as “Lakeland,” “Bohemia Village,” and even “Bohemiaville” (as prominently seen on early local baptismal certificates signed by Rev. John Prescott).
Stability finally arrived in 1885. As the local Czech clubs grew in political influence, they successfully petitioned the federal government for their own post office. The government officially designated the name as Bohemia, and the true identity of the town was sealed. Local pioneer Joseph Nohowec was appointed as the very first postmaster, finally ending the confusion of the village’s mailing address once and for all.
The Battles for Our Identity
Over the course of the 20th century, residents had to fight off three major campaigns to wipe the name “Bohemia” off the map entirely.
1931
The “Sayville Heights” Proposal
As Long Island developed, some newcomers felt the name “Bohemia” was too old-fashioned, rustic, and tied too heavily to a single ethnic group. They formally proposed changing the name to “Sayville Heights,” arguing it would sound more prestigious and attract new modern businesses. The local backlash was immediate and fierce. The town’s youth mobilized, plastering the streets with posters reading “Keep Bohemia on the Map.”
William Keyes, principal of the Bohemia School, wrote a poem in the Suffolk County News that summed up the local sentiment:
“To many thousand far and near
Bohemia’s name is held most dear,
Let those who think it is out of date
Remove themselves by truck or freight.”
1942
The “Lidice” Tribute
The second attempt to rename the town was born of profound global tragedy, not real estate. In 1942, Nazi forces completely destroyed the Czech village of Lidice (Li-dyi-tseh) in brutal retaliation for the assassination of a high-ranking German commander. The New York Post ran an editorial suggesting that an American town should rename itself “Lidice” to ensure the murdered village lived on. Bohemia, NY, with its deep and obvious Czech roots, was named as the prime candidate. While local residents were deeply sympathetic to the tragedy and raised funds for the cause, the majority ultimately voted to honor their own pioneers by keeping their established name.
1947
The “MacArthur” Push
Following World War II, real estate developers argued that the old immigrant name was hindering the post-war housing boom. They proposed renaming the town MacArthur to align with the rapidly expanding airport just north of the village. Claims of a 250-signature petition sparked a heated, contentious town debate. Finally, the U.S. Postal Department intervened and conducted a strict house-to-house survey. The result? The people overwhelmingly chose to remain Bohemia.
Timeline of Our Name
1855 — Settlers arrive. Area is geographically referred to as “South of Lakeland.”
1855–1858 — Locals informally call the encampment “Vavratown” after founder Jan Vavra.
1859 — The settlement is officially recorded as the “New Village of Tabor.”
1860s–1880s — Legal and religious documents confusingly list “Bohemiaville” or “Bohemia Village.”
1885 — First post office is established. The federal government officially recognizes the town as “Bohemia.”
1931 — A real estate attempt to rename the town “Sayville Heights” is defeated by angry locals.
1942 — A newspaper proposal to rename the town “Lidice” (to honor a WWII tragedy) is respectfully declined.
1947 — A developer-led push to rename the town “MacArthur” is defeated by a postal survey.
“Bohemians” vs. “Bohemians”
Why is the word “bohemian” often used to describe artists, wanderers, or people who live unconventional lives?
This linguistic mix-up dates back to 19th-century France. At the time, it was mistakenly believed by the French public that the Romany people who were traveling through the country had originated in the Bohemia region. Impoverished artists and writers living in Paris, who admired and adopted this “carefree,” wandering, and unconventional lifestyle, proudly adopted the moniker “Bohemians” for themselves.
Ironically, the actual Czech immigrants who founded our Long Island town were the exact opposite of this artistic, carefree stereotype. They were highly disciplined, hardworking farmers, cigar rollers, and artisans — solid, family-oriented citizens who built a structured community that has lasted for over a century and a half.