Anno nuovo felice!
That's Italian for "happy new year!" One of the ethnic groups that greatly influenced Elkhart culturally, socially and commercially came from the Italian immigrant families who moved here in the late 19th century - primarily to work on the railroad. The streets immediately parallel to the Lakeshore RR tracks near downtown became "Little Italy" - Harrison, Hickory, St. Joseph Streets. From the early days of the 1900's until the late 1960's, these streets were home to a very tight-knit, almost exclusively Italian enclave.
The ethnic slurs and negative reactions these early families experienced in Elkhart 90 or more years ago are much the same as some recently-arrived Hispanic families have experienced here during the past 10 or 15 years: "They're taking our jobs." "Why don't they learn English?" John Lucchese, Jr. (who was born here, but lived in an exclusively Italian-speaking household) tells the story of going to 1st grade in 1933 without knowing a word of English. His teacher just threw up her hands, "I don't know what you expect me to do with these dagos!"
The heritage that Elkhart's many Italian-Americans have contributed is widely recognized in the restaurants and taverns that sprung up here beginning in the 1940's: Minelli's; Nicky D's; Flytrap's; Casey's; Campanello's (now Volcano Pizza); Falcone's; Poor Tony's; Joe & Eddie's; Lucchese's; Santino's; Antonio's; Siciliano's. Beyond great food, warm atmosphere and marina, the impact of Italian-Americans in Elkhart really grew in the '50's and '60's.
An Indiana Avenue tavern/ grocery proprietor named Julius Decio had a bright son named Art who founded Skyline Corp, one of the most esteemed and successful manufactured housing concerns in the world.
What will our new arrivals from Mexico and Latin American countries most be remembered for contributing? Already, we've seen a boon in great food: Rosales'; Camino Real; Chuchi's; Los Primos and many other sole proprietor Hispanic-owned eateries. Bigger fish: Inter Cambio Express just bought the former Banks Lumber Co. building near Island Park and their CEO Isaac Torres has among the best-paid financial services employees in the area.
Metro Raleigh/ Durham/ Chapel Hill, North Carolina has seen a similar influx of Hispanic families. The backlash there has also been strong. Despite this, a strong new middle class is evolving. They rarely divorce, they save their money and they revere family - particularly the elderly. These social influences are positive. Nurturing even.
Will Elkhart's mayor in 20 years have a surname like Rodriguez? Will people ever stop whining about the most recent influx of immigrants? (Not bloody likely).
Saw a sign from the City Museum of New York: A boldly-lettered sign that was prominently displayed: "Irish Need Not Apply."
Wops, dagos, Mics, spics, wet-backs. Made our country what it is. A nation of immigrants. My great-grandfather, a German Jew was a "damn Yid" arrived in New York City in 1883 age 18. He lived in Harlem, in an exclusively Yiddish-speaking neighborhood until he moved "out west" to Indiana, where he was marginally tolerated until he proved his worth.
Thank God they didn't ship him back for being "an illegal." He would surely have been sent to a concentration camp in his old age and an industrious line that flourished in Northern Indiana would never have come to be.
Happy New Year!
