Italian neighborhoods in North America

[Docere]

Among the big metro areas, New York is the only one where Italian Americans are the largest white ancestry group. Most suburban counties are 20%+ Italian American. This must have some impact on the culture of the region.

Even in famously "Italian" Philadelphia, this isn't the case. Irish and German ancestry is more common than Italian. The South Jersey part is more Italian than the PA side; Gloucester County NJ looks like a typical NYC area county in its Italian American share.

Among smaller cities, Italian is the most common ancestry in Providence and New Haven. And both have sort of "Italian" images (Providence for its Little Italy, New Haven for its pizza).

[EmmaOlivia]

That is indeed a lot different here in chicago, nothing so amazing I have seent yet.

[Emprise du Lion]

Here in St. Louis, the documentary America's Last Little Italy: The Hill will be airing on the local PBS affiliate on November 30th. Here's the trailer, for anyone interested:

• Video Link

And here's an article about the documentary:
https://www.feastmagazine.com/st-lou...b56ef7f25.html

[JManc]

Originally Posted by Docere

Among the big metro areas, New York is the only one where Italian Americans are the largest white ancestry group. Most suburban counties are 20%+ Italian American. This must have some impact on the culture of the region.

Even in famously "Italian" Philadelphia, this isn't the case. Irish and German ancestry is more common than Italian. The South Jersey part is more Italian than the PA side; Gloucester County NJ looks like a typical NYC area county in its Italian American share.

Among smaller cities, Italian is the most common ancestry in Providence and New Haven. And both have sort of "Italian" images (Providence for its Little Italy, New Haven for its pizza).

Federal Hill in Providence reminds me how Italian neighborhoods were in their heyday.

[subterranean]

Sort of on topic but also not quite. I was just recognized as an Italian citizen by the SF consulate. Sad my grandmother passed away last year before I completed the process.

[Shawn]

Originally Posted by JManc

Federal Hill in Providence reminds me how Italian neighborhoods were in their heyday.

Am I beating a dead horse by saying again how much I love Federal Hill? I hope Pastiche is doing ok. They're in such a small space, they could only sit 8 people max, so losing the in-store dining hopefully isn't a huge hit. I think most of their business is made-to-order pickup anyways.

[Shawn]

Originally Posted by Docere

Among smaller cities, Italian is the most common ancestry in Providence and New Haven. And both have sort of "Italian" images (Providence for its Little Italy, New Haven for its pizza).

It's more than just Federal Hill, though. The suburbs of Providence are full of Italians and Italian-Irish/Portuguese/French Canadian mixes. Just like in neighboring Bristol and Norfolk Counties in Mass. Every town common had in close proximity a VFW hall, an Elks lodge, and an Italian-American Club, at least until I left in 2002.

Growing up there, it felt like CCD and real school had ~80% overlap. Even the Asians (Vietnamese, Cambodians) and Blacks (Dominicans, Haitians) were Catholic.

[Docere]

Of the first settlement turn of the 20th century Little Italies, Boston's North End might be the best:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgGP9RgTPgQ

[Docere]

Thought this Italian American podcast episode was interesting, on Westfield NJ. Its shows how ubiquitous Italian culture is in the Tri-State:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFRdtoyg4ik

[Crawford]

Westfield is an UMC railroad suburb, with excellent schools and establishment roots. The Italians and Irish replaced the WASPs.

[mrnyc]

here is a ranking of italians in ohio by city -- note its listed by % so the top listings are bump in the road places pop500 or under -- the first cities of note are mayfield and highland heights in suburban cleveland at around 28%. almost all the italians in the state are across ne ohio:

https://zipatlas.com/us/oh/city-comp...population.htm

[edale]

Originally Posted by mrnyc

here is a ranking of italians in ohio by city -- note its listed by % so the top listings are bump in the road places pop500 or under -- the first cities of note are mayfield and highland heights in suburban cleveland at around 28%. almost all the italians in the state are across ne ohio:

https://zipatlas.com/us/oh/city-comp...population.htm

That's a cool map, thanks for sharing. I think most people are aware of Ohio's large Italian American communities in Greater Cleveland and Youngstown, but not many people know about the communities in the river cities near Wheeling, WV. Those little river cities physically and demographically resemble the Pittsburgh area quite a bit. If I didn't have relatives from this part of Ohio, I definitely wouldn't know about it, but it's actually a pretty cool part of the state. They even have their own variety of pizza that I find quite good (Ohio Valley style)! WVA has quite a bit of Italian influence, too, especially in the northern/panhandle part.

[mrnyc]

Originally Posted by edale

That's a cool map, thanks for sharing. I think most people are aware of Ohio's large Italian American communities in Greater Cleveland and Youngstown, but not many people know about the communities in the river cities near Wheeling, WV. Those little river cities physically and demographically resemble the Pittsburgh area quite a bit. If I didn't have relatives from this part of Ohio, I definitely wouldn't know about it, but it's actually a pretty cool part of the state. They even have their own variety of pizza that I find quite good (Ohio Valley style)! WVA has quite a bit of Italian influence, too, especially in the northern/panhandle part.

yep most definitely and its the least known of the big three ohio italian areas.

i had friends in college and including our best friend here in nyc now -- all from around steubenville, all of them italiano americano mix amerimuts.