Little Italy In Manhattan, New York

A colorful collection of fire escapes and buildings in Little Italy in NYC

If you want truly authentic Italian cuisine and culture, then look no further than the Little Italy neighborhood, in Manhattan, New York. Located in Lower Manhattan, this area was once the home of a large population of Italian-Americans. In 1850, there were less than 4,000 Italians living in America. However this number jumped dramatically in 1800 to 44,000 and again in 1900, an even larger number emigrated and the population rose to 484,027. These immigrants brought with them values of the old world, working hard and never accepting charity, they came to America in the hopes of making a better future for their families.

These early immigrants named Ellis Island, "Isla della Lacrime'', which translated means "Island of Tears''. As they began to settle in various areas in America, they banded together in enclaves where they could feel safe and make a life for themselves, these areas were nicknamed, "Little Italy''. They set up bakeries, taverns, and people selling breads and fruit from a push cart. Italian immigrants also began to establish various mutual aid societies, one of these was called Sons of Italy, founded in New York in 1905, and by 1921 membership had grown to an estimated 125,000 people.

Throughout history, "La Familiga'', or the family has always been the core of Italians, it has often been important to sustaining and maintaining their survival. As they became familiarized with their new country, they came to incorporate their core values with American values as well. All immigrants considered their homeland as an important part of their culture and acknowledge their roots, while at the same time they glorified their achievements in America as well.

The traditional celebration of the "Feast of San Gennaro'', San Gennaro, is the patron saint of Naples, Italy. What was originally a one day religious celebration to honor San Gennaro, has grown to be an eleven day festival. The street fair begins the first Tuesday in September, in Manhattan. It is a celebration of the Italian culture and the Italian-American Community.

The historical area of Little Italy in Manhattan extended as far as Bayard Street, north to Bleecker, west to Lafayette and as far as the Bowery. To the north, near Houston Street, is now known as Nolita which translates to mean, "North of Little Italy''. Even with the development of Chinatown by the Asians, the area between Broome and Canal Streets, is lined with fine Italian restaurants and is a popular site for tourists and is still strongly identified as Little Italy.