Elizabeth Street,NYC, Birds of a Feather Flock Together 1901

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dutchpete
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Elizabeth Street,NYC, Birds of a Feather Flock Together 1901

Post by dutchpete »

Still trying to make sense of the Palermo thing. My Grandfather address to stay was with his brother and the address was 241 Elizabeth Street. As I started to search ship manifests I found two more working men going to Elizabeth Street. It is a spot right out of Chinatown now in NYC and I'm guessing for people coming from Sicily???? It maybe by Little Italy. One's B-inlaw was Bahaus SANTO??? I know the spelling is off. But, do you think this is a hopeless search or should I keep on looking?
Is there any writings or research about Elizabeth Street and it's surroundings?
Thanks, Dutchpete!
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Re: Elizabeth Street,NYC, Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Post by drovedo »

It might be easier looking at city directories.

Just try to see how many years he resided there. There is not much left to Little Italy in NYC anymore.

Also contact NARA about any records with any variations in spelling. Census, court records, etc. Explain problem.
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Re: Elizabeth Street,NYC, Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Post by Poipuo4 »

Elizabeth St. was in Little Italy at the turn of the century. Now Chinatown has absorbed many of those streets. The apt. on Kenmare St., where my ggm lived, is now a Chinese market. LOL. Elizabeth St. was the funeral home where my ggm was taken in 1911. So, it definitely was part of Little Italy. Nowadays, Little Italy in Manhattan is by far a touristy strip of restaurants and a few shops on Mulberry St. and some of Mott St. But, I should let some of the NY residents chime in on this. I was there in August at Ferrara's for some cannoli and espresso. ;)
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NOLA
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Re: Elizabeth Street,NYC, Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Post by NOLA »

Duchpete,

If you use Google Earth, you can see Elizabeth St., probably even the building. I live in NYC, and I've used this to locate where my grandparents lived in Brooklyn. It's really fantastic.
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misbris
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Re: Elizabeth Street,NYC, Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Post by misbris »

Many immigrants had friends and relatives living in rooming houses. These were temporary addresses. People from the same town tended to congregate in a certain location. All of my family went to various addresses on Mulberry Street where they found their paisans. Same thing is probably true for your family.
There are books on Little Italy that are mentioned in various posts on this site. I think even some pictures are posted.
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Sal
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Re: Elizabeth Street,NYC, Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Post by Sal »

The NY Public Library has a digital collection of street photos taken during the 1920s and 1930s. Here is a link to a photo of the block as it existed in the late 1920s during the St. Rocco fest. I don't know if the link will come out right (it is quite long)

http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigi ... =2&dup=yes#

If not, go to http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/index.cfm, select "Cities and Buildings", then select "Photographic Views of New York City 18702-1970s", input Elizabeth in the search box, and a collection of photos with streets bearing that name will come up. The ones of the feasts will have photos of the block in which #241 was located.
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Re: Elizabeth Street,NYC, Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Post by Poipuo4 »

Great resource! Thanks for posting that, Sal!
http://www.celenzaheritage.com

dedicated to the people of Celenza Valfortore, Province of Foggia
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misbris
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Re: Elizabeth Street,NYC, Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Post by misbris »

What a wonderful resource, Sal. Thanks for the link. It works.
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Re: Elizabeth Street,NYC, Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Post by Sal »

Thank you for the kudos. Dutchpete -- try this link

http://books.google.com/books?id=H6FYOa ... M6bamf6TDY

Pages from the book Gangster Priest: The Italian American Cinema of Martin Scorcese should come up. Page 3 will tell you that when Martin Scorcese's grandfather came to the US he lived at #241. That was where Martin Scorcese's father was born. Would that have been the same time as when your family was there? Interesting tidbits.
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Re: Elizabeth Street,NYC, Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Post by dutchpete »

OMG I was reading it and I started to cry. This is closer to my heart than I ever expected. My Grandfather was there in 1904. I'll check the 1910 cencus and see where they lived. 1920's they were in Long Island City.

My grandfather was a stone mason by trade when he arrived, as my Dad became, and many of his cousins.
Is there a a town that translates to "Castle by the Sea" near Palermo?

Thanks everyone keep 'em coming this is so wonderful!!! :)
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Re: Elizabeth Street,NYC, Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Post by daveferro »

Dutchpete,

Little Italy used to include the area at Mulberry Bend as well as farther north; one book has a photo of 55 Mulberry with an Italian Bank. However, Italian-American Folklore by Frances Malpezzi and William Clemens has a drawing of the area bounded by E. Houston south to Canal Street, from Mulberry east to Mott, Elizabeth, and Bowery. The diagram shades the blocks and buildings to which regions the people came from and even marks which cities. Sicilians were between Houston and Spring, with Palermo people in the two blocks on Elizabeth bounded by Houston, Prince and Spring. Chinatown used to be just below Canal, but has moved north steadily.

There is a town called Castellamare del Golfo to the west of Palermo on the gulf of the same name. I'll alert Maria who is from Palermo to this topic.

You didn't say the name of your grandfather, and I could find no Bahaus Santo in 1910 NYC. There are 34 in Manhattan that year and only one in the 6th Ward: Alice Santo, a Russian lady on Bayard Street. I went through some of them, but none of those were on Mulberry.

Drovedo is right about the city directories, as they have sections by street as well as occupant and owner. HeritageQuest through our local library does have a browse, but you have to guess which way to go. Someone posted this link for the NYC Archives on Chambers Street:New York City Department of Records

I'll have to go back and find out who to thank...sorry.

Another good book is a WPA survey from the 1930s: The Italians of New York.

Sal,

Those are such great sites that I've spent the last 2 hours checking where I stayed on Mulberry Street when working in NYC. Used MapQuest and MSN Live to look at the building which was at the corner of Jersey, with the Puck Building across the alley. From the third floor, I could see over the high wall that ran around Prince Street into the graveyard of Old St. Patrick's. 241 Elizabeth can be seen in this view too.

Please post your grandfather's name, dutchpete; it won't take long for the experts here to find him.

Dave
Ferro (from Ferri), Capriotti(TE); De(i)Marzio, Nervina(o), Colucci, Gatto, Testa(CB); Basile(BA) ; Bianchi(AQ); Augello, Bissi, Iacono(AG); Pisano(), Impaglia () Friends looking also: Vivenzio (SA); LoPiccolo(PA)-seems to be Lopicolo originally
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Re: Elizabeth Street,NYC, Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Post by BillieDeKid »

Hi dutchpete

Found a couple of maps from early 1900's for NY/Little Italy area. Thought you might like to have them.

First is B & W large enough to read street names

http://www.bklyn-genealogy-info.com/Map/Man.1911.html

The second is a color map

http://www.bklyn-genealogy-info.com/Map/1902.NYC.html

Elizabeth
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dutchpete
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Re: Elizabeth Street,NYC, Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Post by dutchpete »

His name was Andrea Pipitone, he came in 1904 and by 1910 I think he was living in Brooklyn. His brother Michele preceeded him by 5 years as his wife (we think) and two sons arrived in 1899 to join husband Michele on Elizabeth street.
O boy thanks everyone these are great resources. I am learning sooooooo
much. I'll be in Palermo for 3 days the middle of October. I need to learn fast. With all you help, I'm becoming a walking talking encyclopedia. Now if I could retain the language that quickly!
Grazie
Dutchpete :)
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