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THE ITALIAN AMERICANS

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betplom

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https://www.pbs.org/the-italian-americans/home/

We binge watched all 4 episodes last night, 4 hours total. Fascinating stuff for me as the son of an Italian immigrant father who emigrated to Toronto in 1952, long after most Italians had settled very successfully in the USA.

I learned many things I had previously been aware of but didn't know the specifics of, for example, why did Italians come to Canada - mostly Montreal and Toronto instead of the USA? Well it had much to do with the Johnson-Reed Act of 1924 which made it much more difficult for Italians to emigrate to the United States. Italians arrived in huge numbers up until 1924.

Also interesting was the fact that Italian Americans fought against the Italians in Italy in WW2. One of the segments in the documentary was about an Italian American soldier that ended up in his families hometown in the south of Italy where he was welcomed with open arms and treated like a hero by his families friends.

Explains why Italian culture is stronger (for the time being) in Montreal and Toronto than NYC, Philly, Boston etc. Italian immigrants in Canada are fare mor recent arrivals so their ways haven't been as Americanized/diluted, yet. It will happen eventually. Growing up in Toronto I heard fluent Italian being spoken daily, as many of my neighbors were from the old country and spoke little English.

Those early Italian immigrants to America suffered extreme hardship, Italians from the south, were treated like the blacks. America is a better place thanks to the contributions of early Italian immigrants.

I have new found respect and admiration for men like Fiorello La Guardia, Mario Cuomo, heck even Joe DiMaggio - his mother was declared an “enemy alien,” along with 600,000 other Italians during 1942.

To my fellow gamelivers with Italian heritage I strongly suggest you watch this documentary when you can.

TRON, Mr Monkey, Vegas Dave !!!!

10/10 plommers!!

:italia:
 
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I have lots of family in Woodbridge. Mostly cousins now as most of my Italian aunts and uncles have died.

Woodbridge Ontario, just north of Toronto is one of the most affluent communities in the Toronto area. Built by working class Italian immigrants. It was always 95% Italian as far back as I can remember.

Matty those italians in Woodbridge are now considered old school. Most if not all of them started out in the 50s in Torontos little Italy where multiple families lived in a single house but as they became successful they aspired to a better life in the suburbs.

Woodbridge was a long fucking way out in the burbs even as recently as the 70s.

So the Italians bought land and built big fucking homes in Woodbridge cause it was cheap. Now it's far from cheap, it's a very desirable place to live.

Wherever neighborhoods the italians settled in became sought after as Italian built homes are pretty good damned nice.

I remember going to visit cousins in Woodbridge in the 70s as a kid and there were horses from nearby farms grazing in the local parks.

I love Woodbridge.

Marty I'm getting a little emotional thinking about this stuff pal. Expect a bump of the dead Italians thread soon
 
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This is the exact street in Woodbridge one of my cousins lived on from 1972. Modest, not extravagant, but roomy and comfortable. 90% of the fathers worked in construction breaking their backs to pay for these homes. My dad did too until he got hired on by the TTC and got a cushy gig.

If I remember correctly these homes sold for about $60k CAD back then. They are worth at least 15X that now.


Screenshot_2020-07-03_16-51-17.png
 
https://www.pbs.org/the-italian-americans/home/

We binge watched all 4 episodes last night, 4 hours total. Fascinating stuff for me as the son of an Italian immigrant father who emigrated to Toronto in 1952, long after most Italians had settled very successfully in the USA.

I learned many things I had previously been aware of but didn't know the specifics of, for example, why did Italians come to Canada - mostly Montreal and Toronto instead of the USA? Well it had much to do with the Johnson-Reed Act of 1924 which made it much more difficult for Italians to emigrate to the United States. Italians arrived in huge numbers up until 1924.

Also interesting was the fact that Italian Americans fought against the Italians in Italy in WW2. One of the segments in the documentary was about an Italian American soldier that ended up in his families hometown in the south of Italy where he was welcomed with open arms and treated like a hero by his families friends.

Explains why Italian culture is stronger (for the time being) in Montreal and Toronto than NYC, Philly, Boston etc. Italian immigrants in Canada are fare mor recent arrivals so their ways haven't been as Americanized/diluted, yet. It will happen eventually. Growing up in Toronto I heard fluent Italian being spoken daily, as many of my neighbors were from the old country and spoke little English.

Those early Italian immigrants to America suffered extreme hardship, Italians from the south, were treated like the blacks. America is a better place thanks to the contributions of early Italian immigrants.

I have new found respect and admiration for men like Fiorello La Guardia, Mario Cuomo, heck even Joe DiMaggio - his mother was declared an “enemy alien,” along with 600,000 other Italians during 1942.

To my fellow gamelivers with Italian heritage I strongly suggest you watch this documentary when you can.

TRON, Mr Monkey, Vegas Dave !!!!

10/10 plommers!!

:italia:

As an Italian. I need to watch
 
16 Arran Crescent

Vaughan, West Woodbridge

  • 3 Bed
  • 2 Bath
  • 1500-2000 sqft

$1,278,000
Yeah its nuts in the Toronto area pal. My maternal great grandmother bought a house in downtown Toronto around 1940 for $3000. Its worth at least 1.5 million now.
I have discussions with my parents about how they were lucky to live during the years they did as they could afford a house as young people whereas todays youth are priced out of the market.

My parents firt purchase was in 1970, they bought THIS townhouse for $19,900 CAD.

6442 Finch Ave W - Etobicoke ON Unit 210

Screenshot_2020-07-03_18-10-42.png



Was the first place I can recall living in as a kid - I used to walk a quarter mile to school to KINDERGARTEN from this unit in 1971. Not the best part of Toronto for sure.
 
As an Italian. I need to watch
Sorry Casper, I forgot about you. I know your last name and it does not make me think "hey Italian!"

Back to my rant. My parents became mortgage free in 1982. Never owed anything substantial after that. I think even when they bought in Florida they only had a small mortgage to establish credit in the USA, they could have paid cash.

Even their house in Niagaras Falls was recently appraised at $589,000. They paid $340,00 a few years ago. They more than doubled the previous property in Toronto - paid $350k and sold for $700K.

My parents are not dumb, far from it but they had zero formal education and worked long hard hours to pay for things, they absolutely killed it financially in the Toronto housing market over the years, they made tons of money.

Plommer gonna get a nice inheritance if he can outlive momma and poppa plommer.
 
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Mothers side Italian. Father German

Grandma grew up in Italy. Palermo
plommer = Italian father (off the boat direct from Italy 1952) 2nd generation Canadian mother of German/Polish ancestry.
My maternal great grand parents emigrated to Brooklyn around 1900, then moved to Florida and eventually settled north of Toronto on a small farm they purchased cheap. My maternal grandmother was born in Ontario but her brothers were all born in Brooklyn NY. Lots of history to USA/Canada/Europe in my family.