The House of Poland is located in International Cottages Center in San Diego's Balboa Park. The House is one of 15 "cottages" organized under the umbrella of the House of Pacific Relations. The purpose of the international center is to promote peace and good relations between nations. Each cottage features interior decoration, displays, and presentations demonstrating its own national heritage.

Open House
HoP members hold open house every Sunday, from Noon to 4:00 p.m., and host numerous park visitors who come in to enjoy a bright and pleasant environment in which to have a cup of coffee and view the exhibits. In addition, the cottage opens for special groups on occasion. Many visitors are provided historical and contemporary information on Poland, and help visitors in planning trips to Poland.

The House of Poland is located at the south side of the International Cottages Center.

Lawn Program:
The yearly lawn program is always held on the first Sunday in May.  This day commemorates the Polish Constitution Day which is May 3rd, 1791. It was the first written constitution in Europe, and the second in the world, after the United States.

The entertainment for this occasion is done by local groups, who perform Folk Dances in regional native costumes, and play music depicting the Polish heritage.

The food you will find are the traditional Polish dishes, including pierogi, stuffed cabbage, polish sausages and bigos  (hunter’s stew) and a variety of pastries.

For the Ethnic Food Fair and the December Holidays the menu will be similar.

Special of Days of Observance:
Every year in October The House of Poland observes “Pulaski Day”.   This is a tribute to General Kazimierz Pulaski, who established the U.S. Cavalry as a tactical fighting force during the American War of Independence. General Kazimierz Pulaski sacrificed his life for the freedom of America in the battle of Savannah in 1779.

In March the House of Poland commemorates General Tadeusz Kosciuszko, a military engineer, who designed the fortifications of West Point and other strategic places, and led troops during the American War of Independence.

Scholarship Program:
The House of Poland conducts an annual Scholarship Contest. All high school students in San Diego County in their junior and senior year are eligible. The contest requires the writing of an essay of at least 1200 words on one of several topics from the history of Poland.  Students can win prizes up to $2,000 to be used for their college education.  For more information please go to www.houseofpoland.org

Historical and Cultural Notes
Poland as a nation has been in existence since the 10th century, when several Slavic tribes living in the Vistula basin united under Prince Mieszko I.  Many tribal customs and ways of life in different parts of the country have been passed down through generations.  The result is a rich folklore culture, consisting of colorful regional costumes, iconography, music, songs and dances. This is balanced by classical graphic, literary and performing arts that thrive in today’s Poland.

Over a course of 1000 years, Poland evolved from an absolute  monarchy, through a constitutional monarchy to a republic in 1918. Owing to the strength of its culture and traditions, Poland became an independent Republic again in 1989.  It is continuing its Christian-humanistic traditions and hospitality towards all people of good will.  Poles are happy to share their culture with visitors on many levels.  In the summer and fall visitors enjoy a variety of events, including exhibits, folk dances, musical performances, and reenactments of medieval jousts in the courtyards of ancient castles.  In the winter and spring, grand opera, classical music concerts and live theater performances attract visitors from many countries.

History of the House of Poland
In the late 1920s the Convair Aircraft Corp. moved from Buffalo, NY to San Diego to take advantage of the year-round flying weather. they brought with them a lot of Polish-American craftsmen and their families. In December 1936, this group formed a non-profit organization and successfully competed for one of the international cottages that were built as one of the features of the California Pacific World Exposition in 1935-36. The idea was to create better understanding between nations. Nevertheless, in September 1939 World War II broke out, and the cottages were taken over by the US Navy. After the war, the cottages were reclaimed by the House of Pacific Relations and restored for their original purpose as one of the features of Balboa Park.

The House of Poland includes members of several organizations, including the Polish American Association, Polish National Alliance, and Polish American Social Club of North San Diego County.

For the Polish people in San Diego who would like to read a Journal or the News from poland, there are two websites you can click on to:

• "Warsaw Business Journal Online" - it is a daily news journal
• The Warsaw Voice Online" - another Internet sources of news from Poland. Both are in Polish and English

Land Area: 312,685 sq km                             
Population:  38,518,241 (July 2007 est.)
Capital City: Warsaw                                        
Language:  Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)
Religion:  Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)
Form of Government: republic
Economy: Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization since 1990 and today stands out as a success story among transition economies. In 2006, GDP grew 5.3%, based on rising private consumption, a 16.7% jump in investment, and burgeoning exports. Poland today has a thriving private sector which created more than 300,000 new jobs during 2006 alone. GDP per capita roughly equals that of the three Baltic states.
Export: machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate manufactured goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%, food and live animals 7.6% (2003)

Source: The World Factbook - Poland