Little Italy (Bridgeport) Explained

Little Italy is a neighborhood located in the North End of Bridgeport, Connecticut on Madison Avenue, near the Fairfield County Correctional Facility and Central High School, with a high Italian-American population.^[1]

History

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many European immigrants moved to Bridgeport to work in the city's many large-scale industrial facilities.^[2] Many Italian arrivals during this time clustered together in the city's Central End and North End, particularly around Madison Avenue.^[3]

Present day

The area around Madison Avenue is still referred to as "Little Italy", and remains home to many Italian restaurants.^[4] However, in recent years, many of the neighborhood's Italian restaurants have moved to surrounding towns following the de-industrialization of Bridgeport. The area now also has a significant Portuguese population.

See also

• History of Bridgeport, Connecticut

Notes and References

1. Book: Connole, Dennis. America's "foreign legion" : immigrant soldiers in the Great War. 2018. 978-1-4766-7543-5. Jefferson, North Carolina. 211. 1076408625.
2. Web site: New Neighbors: Immigrants of the 19th and Early 20th Centuries - Town of Fairfield, Connecticut. www.fairfieldct.org. 2020-05-27.
3. Web site: How the Italian Immigrants Came to New England. 2015-10-12. New England Historical Society. en-US. 2020-05-27.
4. Web site: Bridgeport's 'Little Italy' not the same. 2011-07-06. Connecticut Post. 2020-05-27.