Italian American Culture in Ashtabula, Ohio, by Nick McClure

Italian-Americans have lived in my hometown of Ashtabula, Ohio, for well over a hundred years. In that time they have become an integral part of the community’s culture, economy, and history. Many of the immigrants that came directly from Italy throughout the 20th century were able to find steady work in one of the area’s numerous factories, allowing their culture to prosper through the building of predominantly Italian-American schools, churches, and even bars. However, as rustbelt cities began to decline in the late 20th and early 21st century, Ashtabula was no exception with many factories and jobs being moved. This has affected the Italian-American community there greatly, with families having to again face the difficult decision of whether or not to move to a place with better opportunities, or stay in Ashtabula and try to make the best of their situation. Sadly, many left the area as it became too hard to lead the successful life that was once a near guarantee.

This exodus out of Ashtabula has left a direct impact on the Italian-Americans who chose to stay in the area. Most of the unique traditions that came out of Italian and American cultures blending together have become nearly unrecognizable from what they once were. Furthermore, the Italian business, schools, and even churches that were once so important to the culture of Ashtabula have fallen to the wayside, and are on the brink of being lost forever. In some scenarios groups of dedicated members of the community have been able to come together and save these institutions, like the only Catholic school in the county, which was on the brink of financial collapse a decade ago and has since made an astonishing recovery. On the other hand some institutions have not been as lucky, despite the effort of the community, two out of the three churches that used to be vital to Italian-American culture in the area have sadly closed. When places like this close, not only are great institutions lost, but vital parts of the Italian-American culture in Ashtabula are being lost too. In the end very little remains of the once flourishing and prosperous Italian-American culture, but what has remained gives a beautiful look into the past and the impressive accomplishments of an immigrant community that worked together.

Just short of a hundred years ago my Grandmother’s family made the arduous journey from a small town on the Amalfi coast to the United States. They did this for the same reason as countless other Italians, they were searching for a better life in America. After making it to the United States, they decided to settle in a small industrial town on the coast of Lake Erie, along with many of their fellow Italian-Americans. They chose to live and work in Ashtabula because of the numerous opportunities and jobs available to them, but more importantly, they chose Ashtabula because of the strong Italian community that already existed there. Ashtabula was a haven for immigrants for decades, being host to large Swedish, Irish, and Italian communities. But by the mid twentieth century the Italian community had begun to establish itself as the dominant immigrant group, forcing other groups of immigrants out of their neighborhoods. This is how Ashtabula became home to a neighborhood in the harbor known as ‘Swedetown’ that was filled almost entirely with Italian-Americans. However, while the Italian community began to dominate the larger immigrant community, they were still a marginalized minority. There still existed the discrimination, stereotypes, and prejudices that Italians all over the country were victim to. For example, while Italian-Americans were able to prosper in their working class, industrial jobs. They were rarely able to advance into executive positions, and were kept in the same roles until they either retired or passed away. All of this goes to show the situation that my Grandmother’s family found themselves becoming a part of when they finally arrived in the land of limitless possibilities and opportunities.

When interviewing my Grandmother for this article a common theme began to emerge in her stories and descriptions of Italian-American culture in Ashtabula, it’s not what it used to be. An example of this decline in culture has become evident in recent years, as Italian-American Catholic churches, like the historic Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church in Ashtabula’s harbor, were closed due low attendance. This low attendance was caused partly because of a dying population of dedicated church goers, and partly because of the exodus out of Ashtabula by people searching for greater opportunities elsewhere. The closure of Mother of Sorrows Church may not seem like a big deal to some, but for the Italian-American residents of Ashtabula this was devastating. A family friend, who sang in the choir and was a large participant in this church, described to me the devastating effect that this has had. It wasn’t a building that was closed, it was a key part of the community. Mother of Sorrows Church was built by Italian immigrants in the late nineteenth century, and has stood the test of time providing its community a vital location to meet and worship together. Since its closure a few years ago parishioners have been faced with a tragic loss, and for many of them this church was the only connection they had left to their heritage. With this connection lost, many of these people began to leave Ashtabula in even larger numbers, either to find better opportunities, or join their family and friends that already left. As the page on this historic church turned, so did a milestone in Italian-American culture in Ashtabula.

Another large part of Italian-American culture in Ashtabula are the annual celebrations and festivals that take place. Fortunately many of these traditions, like the annual blessing of the fleet in the harbor, still take place due to the dedication of community members. But unfortunately, some of these events have declined or completely disappeared. Examples of these events include the annual summer festivals that allowed the Italian-American community to come together and celebrate their heritage and culture. I have already discussed in this article the closure of Mother of Sorrows Church, and the impact it has had on the local Italian-American community. Years before the church closed its doors, it was forced to stop another key event, its summer festival. This led to two churches being forced to consolidate their annual festivals, and the funds they gained from them, at the behest of the parishioners who naturally     preferred two parties instead of one. The annual Mt. Carmel festival that still takes place in late July has filled this void, but it is not immune to the issues that plagued the previous celebrations. My Grandmother has described to me in incredible detail the fond memories she had as a child attending this celebration of Italian-American culture. Memories  including parades, rides, and of course incredible Italian-American cuisine. All of this was brought together year after year by dedicated members of the community, who volunteered their time and efforts to put these spectacles on. However, as time has gone on, and more Italian-Americans have left the area in search of a more prosperous life, these festivals have become a shell of what they used to be. With the decline of these events, the Italian-American community in Ashtabula has lost some of its uniqueness and vitality. It may not seem like a lot for an outsider looking in, but for the people like my Grandmother who grew up looking forward to these events each summer, and who now have to watch them wither away, it is devastating.

Mt. Carmel Festival, 1985.

These cultural events that my Grandmother and members of the community have long cherished didn’t appear out of nowhere. They were the result of hard work from dedicated members of the Italian-American community. These members did this not because they were bored, but because they didn’t have anything else. They were excluded from mainstream culture because of their immigrant and minority status. They didn’t have anything else, and they needed a way to protect their history, heritage, and culture. The traditions that they created, and the institutions that they founded, not only showed the vitality of a prosperous community, but they kept the unique culture and spirit of their community alive. Now that these traditions are fizzling away, they are leaving behind a community that is yearning for something to fill this void. Without these traditions and events, and without something to replace them, the Italian-American community in Ashtabula will suffer greatly, and lose a part of its unique identity.

All of this goes to show that, as my Grandmother poignantly put it, Italian-American culture in Ashtabula is not what it used to be. In one generation it has gone from a flourishing culture, to one that is barely surviving. This is tragic but it brings the question, is there anything the community can do to fix it? The answer is not that simple, in order to bring back Italian-American culture in Ashtabula back to its heyday several, near miraculous things need to happen. Firstly, the economy of the area needs to be revitalized, incentivising people, especially the working class Italian-Americans, to stay in Ashtabula instead of flock out of it. Secondly, the Italian-Americans in Ashtabula need to work together again to recreate the same sense of community and camaraderie that they once had in their institutions. Finally, the Italian-American community needs to open up, and welcome others into their community. By being more inclusive the Italian-American community will be able to access a larger population of people with broad and unique skills. This is what they did when they first came to Ashtabula, now they simply need to do it again.

All in all, the Italian-American community in Ashtabula has been in a state of decline ever since the end of the twentieth century. This has come from numerous different factors and events. The most impactful of these has been the decline of the area, in accordance with the decline of countless other rustbelt communities. The factories and jobs that were once the reason why Italian-American flocked to Ashtabula are gone. Now people are leaving the area for the same reasons that they came to it, they need more opportunities and better work, and this simply cannot be found in Ashtabula anymore. This is a tragic loss for the Italian-American community, and the many people that remember what it was like at its zenith. I can account from personal experience how sad this is, and how people like my Grandmother’s family not only lost parts of their community, but lost a part of their culture. Jamaican activist Marcus Garvey perfectly sums up the importance of culture when he said “a people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots.” The Italian-American community in Ashtabula is losing its roots, and in doing so is losing itself.

In the end, the story of how Italian-American immigrants were able to create a vibrant and successful culture and community in Ashtabula is truly astonishing. It started as a small group of immigrants saw the potential that awaited them in a new country of limitless opportunities, and the leap that they took in going across the world to find Ashtabula as that place of opportunity. This then grew into a vibrant community of hardworking, blue collar workers in a quintessential rust belt town, who were able to create a unique microcosm of Italian-American culture as a whole. This is an incredible story, and while the current situation may not be reflective of this great history, there are still examples of it that give us a glimpse into the past. A past filled with a vibrant and growing community that was able to do great things through cooperation and hard work. Ultimately, while the future may never again look like the past, the Italian-Americans that live in Ashtabula are living in a far better situation than when they first arrived in America, and this is in no small part because of the community that was able to support them.