Polish National Alliance Records

The Polish National Alliance was founded in 1880 as a secular society, splitting from the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America (PRCUA.) Salem had multiple chapters, Group 555, known as “Three Nickels” was founded in part by Jan Romaszkiewicz and Joseph Kohn. The society’s clubhouse, purchased in 1931, referred to as “Sons of Poland” was located at 114 Derby Street in the Captain John Waters House. It is unclear when the society formed but their group number implies it was formed between 1900 and 1910. By 1904, a group called Sons of Poland was meeting at 162 Derby Street.

The PNA was an active political and cultural voice in the community and focused on providing insurance to its members, promoting education, and encouraging the liberation of occupied Poland. After World War II the group transitioned to being purely social and in 1966 their clubhouse was sold to the House of the Seven Gables to be used as a settlement house before being sold as condos in 2017.