Established initially as Alta Villa by the five original Italian immigrant families who settled there 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, Kryer Mountain, and their vale.[4]
For the early Italian immigrants of Little Italy, their belief in God and devotion to the religion of their homeland was of utmost importance. Priests traveling by way of locomotive from Little Rock initially celebrated Mass for local devotees at a schoolhouse in the nearby community of Ledwidge. St. Francis of AssisiCatholic Church was officially established in Little Italy in 1922 once a building more suitable for worship and consecration was erected. Since its inception, the church has remained an integral part of the community's identity and activity.[5][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. At its height, the community boasted four commercial wineries and two taverns.[7]
In 2015, as part of a multi-decade heritage preservation endeavor, Little Italy's residents unsuccessfully sought to become an incorporated municipality.[8][9][10] As part of that same effort to preserve and promote its history and culture, members of the community founded 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, Little Italy's residents 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
^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.
^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).
Barnes, Kenneth C. Anti-Catholicism in Arkansas: How Politicians, the Press, the Klan, and Religious Leaders Imagined an Enemy, 1910–1960. Fayetteville, AR: The University of Arkansas Press, 2016. ISBN9781682260166
Cia, Elaine Weir, et al. "Early History of Little Italy, Pulaski Co., AR." 1968. Historical Document Archive. Little Italy Arkansas Heritage Museum, Little Italy, AR. Facsimile of a typewritten document.
Goldsmith, Adolph O. "Wine From Little Italy's Grapes: Italians of This Unusual Colony Near Little Rock Carry on Traditions of Native Land." Historical Document Archive. Little Italy Arkansas Heritage Museum, Little Italy, AR. Facsimile of a newspaper article printed circa October, 1939; missing name of newspaper [Arkansas Democrat?] and publication date. (Appendix A in Dorer, 2002).
Halliburton, Arthur. “Little Italy is Still Ethnically Closely-Knit; But Town Has Lost Old World Flavor since 1915.” Arkansas Democrat. November 26, 1972, p. 3A. (Appendix B in Dorer, 2002).
"Little Italy Celebrates." Arkansas Gazette. August 9, 1931, pp. 9B–10B.
Price, Chris. "Deep Roots: Italian descendants honor Little Italy church's 100th anniversary." Arkansas Catholic. August 13, 2022, pp. 1, 3–4. Featured article. (Available online with additional photographs and information at Arkansas Catholic: “Immigrant Catholics Founded Little Italy 100 Years Ago”; accessed July 26, 2024).
Tebbetts, Diane Ott. "Transmission of Folklife Patterns in Two Rural Arkansas Ethnic Groups: The Germans and Italians in Perry County." PhD diss., Indiana University, 1987. OCLC Number25662162
