Magyar News, 2005. szeptember-december (16. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
2005-11-01 / 3. szám
The Protestant Church The Catholic Church What do these names do being together? Well the first two are the names of the worst hurricanes that hit America. The third one is not a name to look for in Hungary, it is a settlement in the path of the destructive other two. It is a community that was founded by Hungarians in Louisiana. As we learn from Juli Bika there were quite a few at some time, here is part of the list: Haraszthy Town, in Wisconsin. Hungarian farmers founded settlements in Georgia: Nyitra, Tokaj, Budapest and Fordhouse. They have all ceased. One still finds Tolna in North Dakota and Balaton in Minnesota but no more Hungarians live there. Then there was Esterhazy, Kaposvar, B eke var, Otthon, Kunok völgye and Hunok útja. At this time the people of Árpádhon still keep the Hungarian traditions and culture as well as it could be done in America. Let us first find out who is Juli Bika. She is an active Hungarian who with her husband Dr. László Gergatz lived in New Orleans. They were in the path of the hurricane. As a matter of fact the levy that first collapsed was just a few blocks from their home. Fortunately they obeyed the evaccuation order and in the last minute were able to leave. Julianna Bika finished her studies at the Közgazdasági Egyetem in Budapest, graduating in math, later she got involved in social studies. Here in the United States she continued her original studies and became a CPA. I first learned about her when she was publishing the “Tájékoztató”, the newsletter of the American Chapter of the World Federation of Hungarians. Since 1997 she is the editor of the “Nyugati Hírlevél” an independent electronic newsletter published monthly. It carries news from the western hemisphere about Hungarian activities. Juli moved to New Orleans in 1990, where she lives with her husband, dr. István Gergatz. They both know the Louisiana Hungarians, specially the history and life of Arpédhon. This is a settlement between Albany and Springfield, Louisiana on Highway 43. Originally Hungarians were working in Canada building the railroad. The winter of 1886 was -60°F and the settlers could not take this cold and a group of them led by Tivadar Zboray returned to the US. In 1895 Zboray, Bruskay, Mocsary and 5 The old school building Lumber workers in the old days T
