Pospisil Family History and Photos

Picnic beach. The Pospisils purchased four waterfront lots on Bay Drive in Bowleys Quarters in 1923, clearing trees and opening 200 feet of shoreline to the public as a swimming beach and picnic grounds. Mary Pospisil recalls the family closing up the nightclub late Saturday night, attending 2:30 a.m. Mass at St. Vincent’s church downtown and then transporting food to the Bowleys shore for Sunday business. The family moved there to live in the 1940s. — Jackie Nickel

Social Scene. The Comrade Bowling Social Outing was held at Pospisil’s Park in Bowley’s Quarters in the 1930s. Democratic club meetings, dances, parties and weddings were among the other activities in the hall which seated 300-400. — Jackie Nickel

Testimonial Banquet. The Committee of Arrangements for a testimonial dinner honoring Essex businessman and political activist Jerry Mueller was held at Pospisil’s Hall on May 27, 1935. Mueller, shown first row center, owned a hardware store at the corner of Eastern and Mace Avenues. His son, Frank, was a bartender at Pospisil’s.

Pospisil’s Tavern and Nightclub. In 1907, James and Mary Pospisil purchased a wayside tavern on Eastern Avenue west of Back River Bridge. The family lived on the second floor of the popular establishment, which was open seven days a week offering home-cooked meals and floor shows with well-known performers, singers, and comedians. The Pospisils sold the business in 1947, and the building was destroyed by fire 20 years later. — Jackie Nickel

Fuel stop. In the 1940s, the Pospisils built a service station next door to their nightclub. Betholene was the fuel of choice for many local residents who patronized the gas pumps. — Jackie Nickel

Town Hall, 1940s. In 1907 James and Mary Pospisil purchased a large restaurant and tavern on Eastern Ave. west of Back River Bridge. The family lived on the second floor of the popular establishment which was open seven days a week. House specialties included crab cakes, soft crabs, fried chicken and fish. Live entertainment was booked for the club by the same promoter who brought acts to the Hippodrome. The Pospisils sold their popular business in 1947 to the Emala family. After nine months, the Emalas sold it to Joseph Mirabile who renamed the place Town Hall. Dances, weddings, bingos and other events continued to draw customers until the building was closed to make way for the Eastern Blvd. cloverleaf onto I-695. While boarded up awaiting demolition, it was destroyed by fire in March 1967. — Jackie Nickel

Falkenhan-Pospisil. Shown with her brothers John and Charles Falkenhan who were serving in the US Army during World War II, Mary Falkenhan Pospisil grew up across from Pospisil’s tavern. Mary had wanted to go to high school but because of family pressures went to work at age 14 at a tailor shop on Franklin Ave. in Essex. She married Albert Pospisil, shown fishing at the family’s Bowleys Quarters shore, in 1935 in the basement church of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. The couple lived upstairs from the nightclub along with the elder Pospisils.

World War II. The Pospisils frequently fed and entertained “Army boys” during World War II as shown by this long line of soldiers waiting at the entrance in the early 1940s. Services to honor veterans were held outdoors where a large memorial plaque was erected. The Pospisils also helped families in need by providing free meals during the Great Depression. During the Prohibition years, Pospisil’s operated as a grocery store.

Veterans Memorial. Services to honor veterans were held outdoors at Pospisil’s, where a large memorial plaque was erected. The business owners also helped families in need by providing free meals during the Great Depression During the Prohibition years, the Pospisils operated a grocery store and provided food for the needy of the community.