Italians in Michigan


Book Description

For more than 350 years, Italian immigrants have played important roles in the opening and development of the land that is now Michigan, from their participation in the French fur trade up to the present day. Through an emphasis on the family as the essential institution in ethnic group success, Russell M. Magnaghi celebrates the accomplishments of Michigan's famous and not-so-famous Italian sons and daughters as he documents their struggles and achievements. Through the tenacity and hard work of the immigrants and their descendants, Italians in Michigan have progressed from unskilled laborers to some of the highest positions in business, politics, culture, and education.




Italians in Detroit


Book Description

People of Italian descent have been present in Detroit since Alfonso Tonti, second-in-command to Antoine Cadillac, participated in the founding of the city in 1701. By the close of the 19th century, the trickle of Italian immigrants had become a torrent, as thousands rushed to the growing industrial center. Settling on the lower east side, the community grew rapidly, especially north and east into Macomb County. Italians in Detroit did not remain in a "little Italy," but mingled with the diverse population of the city. Through a combination of hard work and strong family and community ties, the Italians of Detroit have achieved their dreams of a better life. They have met the challenges of living in a new land while nurturing the culture of the old country. The challenge that remains is to nurture a love of heritage among young Italian Americans as the immigrant generation fades.




A History of the Italian Immigrants from the Seven Towns of the Asiago Plateau in the Region of the Veneto in Italy on the Gogebic Iron Range of Michigan and Wisconsin from the 1890s to the 1950s


Book Description

For almost four decades, from 1890 to 1924, many European immigrants came to the Gogebic Iron Range of Michigan and Wisconsin to work in the iron mines, farm, and to establish businesses. Among them was a sizable group of Italian immigrants from various regions and provinces of Italy. This book is a history of a particular group of Italian immigrants that came from the Asiago Plateau in northern Italy. Their lives and experiences are given meaning in this book, bringing their families, friends and the general public, knowledge of their origins and background in northern Italy and the contributions they made on the Gogebic Iron Range. A thirty year research project, this book is a resource of information for families of the Asiago Plateau immigrants throughout the United States who wish to do historical or genealogical work. Furthermore, this book is a link with the people of the Asiago Plateau today and hopefully will be an aid for them to discover their




Italians in Chicago


Book Description

Author and history professor Dominic Candeloro presents an intriguing narrative record of the earliest beginning of the Italian communities in Chicago. The stories of Chicago's Italian communities are an important part of the rich and diverse mosaic of the city's history. As a rail center, an industrial center and America's fastest growing major city, Chicago offered opportunities for immigrants from all nations. Italians in Chicago explores the lives of 10 significant members of the Chicago Italian-American community going back to the 1850s. This book is a collaborative and cumulative effort, and gives glimpses and echoes of what occurred in the Italian-American past in Chicago. Including vintage images and tales of such individuals as Father Armando Pierini, Anthony Scariano, and Joe Bruno, and groups such as the Aragona Club and the Maria Santissima Lauretana Society, this collection uncovers the challenges and triumphs of these Italian immigrants.




Italians in Detroit


Book Description

People of Italian descent have been present in Detroit since Alfonso Tonti, second-in-command to Antoine Cadillac, participated in the founding of the city in 1701. By the close of the 19th century, the trickle of Italian immigrants had become a torrent, as thousands rushed to the growing industrial center. Settling on the lower east side, the community grew rapidly, especially north and east into Macomb County. Italians in Detroit did not remain in a "little Italy," but mingled with the diverse population of the city. Through a combination of hard work and strong family and community ties, the Italians of Detroit have achieved their dreams of a better life. They have met the challenges of living in a new land while nurturing the culture of the old country. The challenge that remains is to nurture a love of heritage among young Italian Americans as the immigrant generation fades.




Michigan Genealogy


Book Description

This is one of the finest statewide sourcebooks ever published, a remarkable compilation of sources and resources that are available to help researchers find their Michigan ancestors. It identifies records on the state and regional level and then the county level, providing details of vital records, court and land records, military records, newspapers, and census records, as well as the holdings of the various societies and institutions whose resources and facilities support the special needs of the genealogist. County-by-county, it lists the names, addresses, websites, e-mail addresses, and hours of business of libraries, archives, genealogical and historical societies, courthouses, and other record repositories; describes their manuscripts and record collections; highlights their special holdings; and provides details regarding queries, searches, and restrictions on the use of their records.




Danes and Icelanders in Michigan


Book Description

Immigration of Danes and Icelanders to Michigan began in the 1850s and continued well into the twentieth century. Beginning with their origins, this book takes a detailed look at their arrival and settlement in Michigan, answering some key questions: What brought Danes and Icelanders to Michigan? What challenges did they face? How did they adjust and survive here? Where did they settle? What kind of lasting impact have they had on Michigan’s economic and cultural landscape? Extensively researched, this book examines the public and private lives of Danish and Icelandic immigrants in Michigan, drawing from both individual and institutional histories. Shedding new light on the livelihood, traditions, religion, social life, civic organizations, and mutual benefit societies, this thorough, insightful book highlights a small but important population within Michigan’s borders.




Cornish in Michigan


Book Description

Several ethnic groups have come to Michigan from the British Isles. Each group of immigrants from this region--the Cornish, English, Irish, and Welsh--has played a significant role in American history. Historic records show that some early nineteenth-century Cornish immigrants were farmers and settled in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. However, the majority of early Cornish immigrants were miners, and much of their influence was felt in the Upper Peninsula of the state. Many of the underground miners from Cornwall got their start in this region before they migrated to other mining regions throughout the United States. Hard-working families came from throughout the peninsula of Cornwall, bringing their history, recipes, songs, religions, and other traditions to Michigan's northern mining country. This nineteenth-century migration brought them to new homes in Keweenaw County, Houghton County, Copper Harbor, Eagle Harbor, and Presque Isle. In the 1830s, newly arrived immigrants also settled in the lower parts of Michigan, in Macomb, Washtenaw, Lenawee, and Oakland counties. The automobile boom of the 1920s sent many of these immigrants and their children to Metro Detroit from the Upper Peninsula, where their traditions are perpetuated today.




An Unlikely Union


Book Description

They came from the poorest parts of Ireland and Italy, and met as rivals on the sidewalks of New York. In the nineteenth century and for long after, the Irish and Italians fought in the Catholic Church, on the waterfront, at construction sites, and in the streets. Then they made peace through romance, marrying each other on a large scale in the years after World War II. An Unlikely Union unfolds the dramatic story of how two of America's largest ethnic groups learned to love and laugh with each other in the wake of decades of animosity. The vibrant cast of characters features saints such as




Columbus Italians


Book Description

At the beginning of the last century, there were just over 11,000 Italians in Ohio. While many of the earliest immigrants settled along Lake Erie, a growing number ventured south to the state capital, a city located at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers and named for a famed Italian explorer. Importing the rich traditions of the old country, Columbus Italian families stayed close to each other, living in great concentrations on St. Clair Avenue and in the Flytown and Bottoms neighborhoods, Grandview Heights, Marble Cliff, and San Margherita. The generations of families who once called these Italian enclaves home have now largely dispersed but still form a community--colorful, hardworking, and fiercely loyal--bonded by the three most basic principles of Italian culture and the theme of the Columbus Italian Festival: "Faith, Family, and Friends."