Volumes have been written about Chambersburg's restaurants, delicatessens, movie theaters, and other interesting and more recent minutia. I try to travel Robert Frost's "Road Less Traveled" and look back to the very early, rural years of the "Old Borough" as it was known during the 20th century. My research centers on the aforementioned rural character of Chambersburg, and includes the articles detailing the immigration of the Italians who really made Chambersburg the historic legend it is today.
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Ralph Lucarella said... - HI TOM....WHILE MY DAUGHTER WORKED FOR DELTA AIRLINES I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT ITALY 3 TIMES AND SPENT MUCH OF THE TIME VISITING CASANDRINO, WHERE MANY OF THE CHAMBERSBURG ITALIANS MIGRATED FROM. MY MOTHER'S PEOPLE WERE FROM THERE WHILE MY FATHER'S FAMILY WERE FROM GRUMO, THE VILLAGE ADJOINING. MANY OF THE PEOPLE I MET WERE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE TRENTON AREA, ESPECIALLY CHAMBERSBURG. I DID NOTICE THE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ROMANS AND THE PEOPLE FROM THE NAPLES AREA. MOST OF THE ITALIANS THAT MIGRATED TO THE U.S.A. WERE FROM SOUTHERN ITALY AND FROM SMALLER VILLAGES. I DID GET TO WITNESS THE FEAST OF LIGHTS THAT HONORED THE MADONNA. BEST REGARDS.
Friday, January 07, 2011 Mack said... God Bless The Italians. They made the world I grew up in and were all my friends and neighbors. How lucky we all were to be part of it all:)
HI TOM....WHILE MY DAUGHTER WORKED FOR DELTA AIRLINES I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT ITALY 3 TIMES AND SPENT MUCH OF THE TIME VISITING CASANDRINO, WHERE MANY OF THE CHAMBERSBURG ITALIANS MIGRATED FROM. MY MOTHER'S PEOPLE WERE FROM THERE WHILE MY FATHER'S FAMILY WERE FROM GRUMO, THE VILLAGE ADJOINING. MANY OF THE PEOPLE I MET WERE VERY FAMILAR WITH THE TRENTON AREA, ESPECIALLY CHAMBERSBURG. I DID NOTICE THE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ROMANS AND THE PEOPLE FROM THE NAPLES AREA. MOST OF THE ITALIANS THAT MIGRATED TO THE U.S.A. WERE FROM SOUTHERN ITALY AND FROM SMALLER VILLAGES. I DID GET TO WITNESS THE FEAST OF LIGHTS THAT HONORED THE MADDONNA. BEST REGARDS.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless The Italians. They made the world I grew up in and were all my friends and neighbors. How lucky we all were to be part of it all:)
ReplyDeleteTom - Just as a note regarding Chambersburg - before the Italians, the 'Burg was the home of many German speaking people bringing their unique culture to the area. I remember my mother saying that the masses at Immaculate Conception Church were said in German and there were German nuns in the school. It seems to be an area where the most recent immigrants to this city were congregated, a place where relatives were already established, language spoken, grocery stores established, etc. Some German names in the area still were around until recently, i.e. Kramers's Bakery, etc. Many German families can still trace their roots back to the 'Burg.
ReplyDeleteLakeside Girl
VERY TRUE LAKESIDE GIRL ELEANOR.
ReplyDeleteTHE GERMAN (AND ENGLISH) INFLUENCE ON THE EARLY PRE-ITALIAN CHAMBERSBURG, CAN BE FOUND FOUND IN EARLIER POSTS ON THIS BLOG, AMONG THEM ONE CONTAINING INFO ON FATHER LUDWIG, (BERNARDINE) WHO HAD A STREET NAMED AFTER HIM IN THE CEMETERY AREA OF HOMEDELL.
TOM