Little Italy (photo)

Once, Little Italy was like an insular Neapolitan village re-created on these shores, with its own language, customs, and financial and cultural institutions. Little Italy was not the largest Italian neighborhood in New York City, as East Harlem (as Italian Harlem) had a larger Italian population. Little Italy was perhaps the citys poorest Italian neighborhood. In 1910 Little Italy had almost 10,000 Italians; that was the peak of the communitys Italian population. At the turn of the 20th century over 90% of the residents of the Fourteenth Ward were of Italian birth or origins. Residents began moving out to more spacious digs almost as soon as they arrived.