Poughkeepsie’s Little Italy

In 2010, the first “A Taste of Little Italy” festival was held, officially recognizing the neighborhood as Poughkeepsie’s “Little Italy.” However, the Italian culture has been stamped on this area since the early 1900s. There was an influx of Italian immigrants in America between the years 1896 and 1921, which inspired the construction of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in 1910. The church became a place for worship, as well as a community center. Soon after the construction of the church, many local businesses emerged, such as bakeries, barber shops, and butchers. The area was one of tradition and assimilation.

In recent years, there has been a transition to the culture of Little Italy. Lou Strippoli, owner of Caffe Aurora on Mill Street, speaks of the shift that occurred in the late 1980s. “As families grew affluent, they moved to the suburbs,” Strippoli recalls. “People don’t go to storefronts anymore, or stroll the streets going from a bakery to a butcher to a fish market. People go where it’s convenient.” Strippoli uses the example of Dunkin Donuts and describes how people have grown to be lazy. They simply prefer drive-thru service, rather than sitting in a coffee shop. Strippoli reminisces about other shops that used to be open in the Little Italy area, which consists of Verrazano Boulevard, Mill Street, Mt Carmel Place and parts of Main Street.

Though some shops have since closed, there are a few iconic landmarks to the Little Italy area of Poughkeepsie, such as Milanese Restaurant on Main Street. Milanese first opened its doors in November of 1971, and they had one customer their first night of business; a truck driver who stopped to ask for directions. Aside from the tremendous amount of customer loyalty, not much has changed for Milanese in the last four decades. All of their dishes are fresh and homemade. The history and perseverance of this restaurant, along with menu and reservation options can be found on their website.

The Italian Culture Center, on the corner of Mill Street was founded in 1928 and continues to increase membership. The Italian Center is a fraternal organization, with over 600 members. The Center was initiated to “promote, preserve and celebrate the Italian culture.” A variety of events are held at the Italian Center, along with weekly dinners, catering and live musical entertainment.

Though many aspects of Little Italy has altered since its emergence in the early 1900s, many aspects have stayed the same. Strippoli even considers that the area will come first circle, culturally speaking. With the addition of the Walkway over the Hudson in 2009, a new portal of the city has been created. Strippoli takes note that, “People are realizing the quality of the inner city, and they often explore the streets after finishing the Walkway.”

Emily Paonessa, the cake decorator at Caffe Aurora, has lived in the Poughkeepsie area her whole life. She briefly moved to Hyde Park as her children went to school, but soon returned to Little Italy. “I’m so happy to be back here,” she states, “People take pride in this neighborhood.”