The Little Italy of Poughkeepsie
There is a little neighborhood in Poughkeepsie, New York, that used to be the center of the town, but now, many residents don’t even know it exists. Centered around Mill Street, Mt. Carmel Place, and Verrazano Boulevard lies the neighborhood labeled as the Little Italy of Poughkeepsie. Little Italy was once home to many Italian American families with dozens of Italian businesses, restaurants, and even an Italian Community Center. Today, Little Italy is home to only several Italian companies looking to keep the Italian heritage alive and well in their city.
APoughkeepsie Little Italy didn’t start as Italian it began with Irish immigrants in the 1840s. Italian immigrants arrived in the late 1800s to help construct the railway bridge close to the neighborhood. From then on, the Italian community made itself at home, building churches, Italian businesses, and schools. Over the years, the Italian community strived in Little Italy, opening up more Italian restaurants and businesses and even an Italian community center, where a variety of Italian events would take place for the community to enjoy. However, as time has passed, so has the Italian culture and heritage that once embraced the label of Poughkeepsie’s Little Italy.
Now, the neighborhood has become a place to live for some Italian families. There is no more Italian community center, few Italian businesses within the area, and little to no display of Italian heritage anywhere to be found. However, Frank Cordaro, the owner of La Deliziosa, an Italian pastry shop located in the heart of Little Italy, has witnessed the changes in the neighborhood over the years.
Cordaro has owned and operated the shop since 1984 but has been working there since 1975. Starting his freshman year of high school, Cordaro worked at the Italian pastry shop because he hated playing football.
“I was trying to get off playing, and I went looking for a job and used it as an excuse,” Cordaro stated. “I knew the people that own it, they were neighbors, and I just said, ‘do you need anybody to help?’ and they were like, ‘Sure.’ I literally started working that day and haven’t stopped since.”
Cordaro has lived and grew up in the Poughkeepsie Little City neighborhood. “I went to grade school across the street. I was baptized in the church that’s directly across the bakery when it was a church. I’m born and raised right here.”
A lot has changed in Poughkeepsie Little Italy since Cordaro was a kid. “Even when I was a kid that was still like the Italian grocers, and they had the vegetables and fruits on the street, right on the sidewalk and stuff. They had the St. Anthony festa here, and they closed the street. There was a lot of that type of stuff growing up.”
Little Italy used to mean more to the people of Poughkeepsie than it does now. “They’re just designating the areas that were originally Little Italy, not so much that they are,” Cordaro explains. “You know, there’s a lot of Italian families still here. There’s some of the Italian restaurants that are still trying to carry the torch. In my neighborhood, I’m like the only one holding the torch.”
But now, it seems that La Deliziosa is one of the few Italian businesses still alive and striving to keep the Italian heritage prevalent in Poughkeepsie. La Deliziosa isn’t like the other Italian businesses that have closed down or left the area; La Deliziosa is proud of its roots, just like Cordaro is himself.
“I’ve always embraced my heritage,” he explains. “I always taught my kids to do the same.”
Poughkeepsie Little Italy isn’t what it used to be. Today, you will see the reminisce of a once lively and striving neighborhood that took pride in its heritage. But back then, the Little Italy of Poughkeepsie was the place to be with Italian restaurants, local Italian markets, and even a community center for Italian events. However, one thing hasn’t changed over the years in Little Italy: La Deliziosa and the delicious Italian pastries it serves every day.
