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Pier 21 Canada's Immigration Museum
Pier 21, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Date: 2008
Notes: By the early 1960s an increasing number of immigrants chose to fly to Canada rather than take an oceanliner. On March 28th 1971 the government decided to close Pier 21 as there were not enough people passing through its gates to justify its cost.... On March 8th 2003 J.P.LeBlanc's dream of turning Pier 21 into a national museum was realized. Even though the World War II veteran had died prior to its opening, hundreds were there to celebrate. Presently, Pier 21, Canada's Immigration Museum, is run by a non-profit group. Many volunteers assist the staff, making the visit to the museum memorable. For more information visit: www.pier21.ca.
Contributed by: Sue Alfieri

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Pier 21 Canada's Immigration Museum
Pier 21, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Date: 2008
Notes: The photo was taken outside Pier 21, Canada's Immigration Museum, by the contributor.
Contributed by: Sue Alfieri

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Pier 21 Canada's Immigration Museum
Pier 21, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Date: 2008
Notes: The photo was taken outside Pier 21, Canada's Immigration Museum, by the contributor.
Contributed by: Sue Alfieri

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Pier 21 Canada's Immigration Museum
Pier 21, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Date: 2008
Notes: The photo was taken inside Pier 21, Canada's Immigration Museum, by the contributor.
Contributed by: Sue Alfieri

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Italian immigrants
The Atlantic Ocean
Date: 1960s
Notes: The photo was taken by Wolf Arnold.
Contributed by: Wolf Arnold

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Italian immigrants
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Date: 1924
Notes: Born in 1900 in a small "Albanese" village by the Adriatic coast in Ururi, Molise, Vincenzo Monaco lived there until 1923. In 1908 his father had left for Argentina to find work and help out his young family, but after three years in Argentina his father "lascio la pelle" and thus his mother had to raise four little children all by herself. The family was in dire straits -- "tanta miseria." Luckily, some of his cousins had immigrated to Montreal and offered to help out the family by offering to sponsor them. First his eldest brother came to Montreal in 1914, and then his other brother came in 1921. However, when he came in 1923 he had to sign an agreement with the federal government that he would be willing to work on a farm. When he disembarked from the ship the immigrant officers looked at his hands and decided he had what it took to be a farmer. For six months he worked on a farm in Lachine, Quebec. After that, he got a job in Montreal digging ditches and fitting pipes. The Sun Life Building was built with the blood and sweat of Italians ("La construzione del monumentale efificio della Sun Life e di altri grattacieli ha ben conosciuto il duro lavoro dei nostri immigrati italiani"). In 1928 he bought land around Saint Zotique and Bordeaux Street in Montreal. At the time the area was empty, one could actually farm there. Many Italians in Montreal at the time lacked for nothing precisely because they grew their own food and raised their own chickens and sheep ("Noi Ialiani sapevamo organizzarci per non mancare di nulla: avere la nostra verdura, i nostri fruitti, le nostre galline, le nostre uova, e per Pasqua avere i nostri conigli e i nostri agnelli.") Vincenzo Monaco's farm slowly developed into a commercial enterprise. He and his brother opened one of the first Italian grocery shops in Montreal -- "La Boulangerie Corona." Finally Italians had access to their own foods ("I nostri immigrati potevano finalmente avere il loro pane, la loro pastatradizionale, la lore focaccia, la pizza come la volevano loro.") His establishment became such an important part of the Italian community the well-known filmmaker, Paul Tana, included him in his production entitled "Caffe Italia." He was also mentioned in Bruno Ramireze's book, "Les Premiers Italiens de Montreal" (Boreal Express). He often visits the old district near St. Zotique and Bordeaux Street and thinks to himself, "La Vincenzo c'era il tuo campicello, il tuo giardino, la tua 'farm' familiare... uno strlcio della tua vita di emigrato."
      The photo and short biography of Vincenzo Monaco were first published in Centro Dante's "Album di Famiglia, 1996." Permission to use the material was given by Santa Cabrini Hospital's administration. For further information visit: www.santacabrini.qc.ca.
Contributed by: Courtesy of Santa Cabrini Hospital

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Italian immigrants
Canada
Date: 1908
Notes: Description found in Archives: "Immigrants -- Russian, Lithuanian, Italian."
Contributed by: Courtesy of John Woodruff/Library and Archives Canada/ C-009799

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Italian immigrants
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date: ca 1915
Notes: Description found in Archives: "Picture depicting Mayor (top left), Church of Toronto (centre), Dr. Domenico Marino, Italian Consul (left).
Contributed by: Courtesy of D'Angelo Family/ Library and Archives Canada/ PA -091096

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Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Date: 1922
Notes: This portrait was taken in Montreal, circa 1922. It depicts the Casacalendese men who went to "America" to make money. In those days, the men who took their families from Casacalenda to "America" were few. Standing from left to right are Celestino Di Blasio (deceased in Casacalenda in the 60s); Nicola Biello (deceased in Cleveland, Ohio, 1942); seated from left to right are: Michele Romagnolo; Domenico Fantillo and Francesco Ferrara all deceased in Casacalenda in the late 30s, 40s and 50s.
Contributed by: Tony Fantillo

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Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Date: mid 1910s
Notes: Here is a picture of Rachele Polisena's father who was in Montreal, Quebec, working abroad to support his family. He later returned to Italy and remained there for the rest of his life.
Contributed by: Rachele Polisena

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