Little Italy, Arkansas

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Little Italy, Arkansas
Unincorporated community
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Little Italy, Arkansas
Location of Little Italy in Arkansas
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Little Italy, Arkansas
Little Italy, Arkansas (the United States)
Coordinates: 34°56′15″N92°35′10″W / 34.93750°N 92.58611°W / 34.93750; -92.58611
CountryUnited States
State Arkansas
Counties Perry
Pulaski
Townships Wye Township
Big Rock Township
Elevation
[1]
692 ft (211 m)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
72016
72135
Area code +1 (501)
GNIS feature ID51290 [1]

Established initially as Alta Villa by Italian immigrants in 1915, [2] [3] Little Italy is an unincorporated community in Pulaski and Perry counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas. [1] The culturally rich and historically significant village is located in high terrain along Arkansas Highway 300 amidst the northeastern foothills of the Ouachita Mountains bestriding Wye Mountain and Kryer Mountain. [4]

Contents

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic parish was established in Little Italy in 1922. [5] The church has remained at the center of community identity and activity since its inception. [6] Also central to Little Italy's identity is its history in the winemaking industry as well as its renowned status as a safe haven for the purchase and consumption of unadulterated alcoholic beverages during Prohibition. [7]

In 2015, as part of a multi-decade heritage preservation effort, Little Italy's residents unsuccessfully sought to become an incorporated municipality. [8] [9] [10] As part of that same effort to preserve its history and culture, the community established a heritage society in 2018 [11] and opened a heritage museum in 2019. [12] With similar sentiment, Little Italy marks its important anniversaries with homecoming events and celebrations. [13] [14] [15] Since 1927, its residents also host an annual Italian festival [16] highlighted by a spaghetti and sausage dinner featuring original, intergenerational recipes. [17] [18]

See also

Other historically Italian settlements in Arkansas

Catholic Point, Arkansas
Sunnyside Plantation, Arkansas
Tontitown, Arkansas

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Little Italy, Arkansas". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved March 6, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Alta Villa Families". The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. Digital facsimile of original photograph circa 1916. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Kristy Eanes and Chris Dorer (Founders of the Little Italy Heritage Museum, AR)". We The Italians. January 12, 2021. Interview. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  4. ↑ Whitworth, Katherine. "It takes a village: The hillside paradise of Arkansas's other Italians". Arkansas Life. November 2011, p. 15. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  5. ↑ "St. Francis of Assisi Church - Roland (Little Italy)". Diocese of Little Rock. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Parish History". St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Little Italy. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  7. ↑ Dorer, Chris. "Little Italy (Pulaski and Perry Counties)". The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Becoming a Township". Little Italy. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  9. ↑ Walkenhorst, Emily. "State's Little Italy denied bid to be town.". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. February 27, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  10. ↑ Harrison, Judge Brandon J., et al. "INCORPORATORS OF COMMUNITY KNOWN AS LITTLE ITALY v. PULASKI COUNTY. Court of Appeals of Arkansas. November 28, 2018." FindLaw. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Little Italy descendants and friends establish non-profit; museum". Little Italy. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  12. ↑ Mackay, Mercedes. "Little Italy Arkansas Heritage Museum brings life to pivotal part of Arkansas' history". KTHV. September 15, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Local Announcements: St. Francis Church 90th Anniversary Celebrated October 2012". Little Italy. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  14. ↑ Lane, Kim. "Little Italy Celebrates 100 Years as a Community". AY Magazine. September 11, 2015. Blog. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  15. ↑ Price, Chris. “Immigrant Catholics Founded Little Italy 100 Years Ago”. Arkansas Catholic. August 11, 2022. Article regarding the centennial anniversary of St. Fransis of Assisi Catholic Church, Little Italy. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  16. ↑ "LITTLE ITALY ITALIAN FESTIVAL". Arkansas Tourism Official Site. Maintained by the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  17. ↑ Morgan, Rebecca. "A taste of the Old World in Arkansas—Little Italy." Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. August 1, 1999. (Appendix C in Dorer, 2002; see Further reading).
  18. ↑ Hebda, Dwain. "Serving God — and the best spaghetti in Arkansas". Arkansas Catholic. 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2024.

Further reading



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