Little Italy, Omaha
Historic Italian neighborhood in Omaha, Nebraska.
Little Italy is a historic neighborhood in Omaha, Nebraska, which served as the historic home to Omahans of Italian ancestry. It was the source of many laborers for the Union Pacific railroad, much of Omaha's bootlegging during Prohibition and the Santa Lucia Procession, which started in 1924 and continues annually. The community is bounded by Pacific Street on the north, Center Street on the south, South 10th Street on the west and the Missouri River on the east. It is located immediately south of the Burlington Train Station and the Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District.
Quick Facts
- Established
- 1890s
- Location
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Bounded by
- Pacific Street (north)
- Center Street (south)
- South 10th Street (west)
- Missour
- Notable event
- Santa Lucia Procession (started 1924, continues annually)
- Revitalization plan announced
- June 2008
- Key historic figures
- Joseph and Sebastiano Salerno
- Frank Calamia
- Tony Biase
Facts from the source article.
History
Omaha's first Italian enclave formed in the 1890s near South 24th Street and Poppleton Street, settled by southern Italian immigrants and migrants from eastern U.S. cities. Sebastiano, working as a steamship agent in 1904, encouraged Sicilian friends to emigrate, and Joseph secured boarding and jobs for them at the Union Pacific shops. Sicilian immigrants settled along South 6th Street in 1905, with additional waves arriving between 1912 and 1913 and after World War I. South 10th Street became particularly important.
The commercial area on South 6th Street included a grocery store, clothing and shoe stores, and the Bank of Sicily, established by the Salerno brothers in 1908. The Immigration Act of 1924 largely ended large-scale Italian immigration to Omaha. During Prohibition, much of Omaha's bootleg liquor was produced in Little Italy. In 1930, city boss Tom Dennison placed Frank Calamia in charge of liquor syndicate operations on the south side.
From 1946 to 1951, Calamia controlled a local race wire service outlet. Little Italy native Tony Biase was described as the leading Mafioso in Omaha through the 1970s.
Present
The Festival of Santa Lucia, started by Grazia Caniglia, continues to be celebrated annually. An annual festival called La Festa unites the city's Italian community. The neighborhood now includes Latinos, Eastern Europeans, and others alongside historic Italian families. New housing developments are occurring in the area.
Landmarks
Little Italy's landmarks include St. Francis Cabrini Church, designed by Thomas Rogers Kimball and completed in 1908 at 1335 South 10th Street. The Cornish Residence stands as a prime Omaha example of Second Empire architecture, while Santa Lucia Hall began as Fire Station 9 in 1891. Additional sites are the Santa Lucia Festival Committee Hall on Pierce Street, Marino's Italian Grocery on South 13th Street, the Sons Of Italy Hall on South 10th Street, and Orsi's Bakery on Pacific Street. Caniglia's was demolished in 2007, with townhomes built in its place.
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