Little Italy, Arkansas

Little Italy, Arkansas
Unincorporated community
Little Italy, Arkansas is located in Arkansas
Little Italy, Arkansas
Little Italy, Arkansas
Location of Little Italy in Arkansas
Little Italy, Arkansas is located in the United States
Little Italy, Arkansas
Little Italy, Arkansas
Little Italy, Arkansas (the United States)
Coordinates: 34°56′15″N 92°35′10″W / 34.93750°N 92.58611°W / 34.93750; -92.58611
CountryUnited States
StateArkansas
CountiesPerry
Pulaski
TownshipsWye Township
Big Rock Township
Elevation
[1]
692 ft (211 m)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
72016
72135
Area code+1 (501)
GNIS feature ID51290[1]

Established initially as Alta Villa by the Italian immigrants who settled there in 1915,[2][3] Little Italy is an unincorporated community in Pulaski and Perry counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas.[1] The culturally rich and historically significant village is located in high terrain along Arkansas Highway 300 amidst the northeastern foothills of the Ouachita Mountains bestriding Wye Mountain, Kryer Mountain, and their vale.[4]

For the original Italian families of Little Italy, their belief in God and devotion to the religion of their homeland was of utmost importance. Priests traveling by way of locomotive from Little Rock initially celebrated Mass for local devotees at a schoolhouse in the nearby community of Ledwidge. St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church was officially established in Little Italy in 1922 once a building more suitable for worship and consecration was erected. Since its inception, the church has remained an integral part of the community's identity and activity.[5][6]

Also central to Little Italy's identity is its history in the winemaking industry as well as its renowned status as a safe haven for the purchase and consumption of unadulterated alcoholic beverages during Prohibition. At its height, the community boasted four commercial wineries and two taverns.[7]

In 2015, as part of a multi-decade heritage preservation endeavor, Little Italy's residents unsuccessfully sought to become an incorporated municipality.[8][9][10] As part of that same effort to preserve and promote its history and culture, members of the community founded a heritage society in 2018[11] and opened a heritage museum in 2019.[12] With similar sentiment, Little Italy marks its important anniversaries with homecoming events and celebrations.[13][14][15] Since 1927, its residents also host an annual Italian festival[16] highlighted by a spaghetti and sausage dinner featuring original, intergenerational recipes.[17][18]

  1. ^ a b c "Little Italy, Arkansas". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
  2. ^ "Alta Villa Families". The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. Digital facsimile of original photograph circa 1916. Retrieved July 26, 2024. (Digitally archived as PDF on August 3, 2024).
  3. ^ "Kristy Eanes and Chris Dorer (Founders of the Little Italy Heritage Museum, AR)". We The Italians. January 12, 2021. Interview. Retrieved July 26, 2024. (Digitally archived as PDF on August 3, 2024).
  4. ^ Whitworth, Katherine. "It takes a village: The hillside paradise of Arkansas's other Italians". Arkansas Life. November 2011, p. 15. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  5. ^ "Parish History". St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Little Italy. Retrieved July 25, 2024. (Digitally archived as PDF on August 23, 2024).
  6. ^ "St. Francis of Assisi Church - Roland (Little Italy)". Diocese of Little Rock. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  7. ^ Dorer, Chris. "Little Italy (Pulaski and Perry Counties)". The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. Retrieved March 14, 2018. (Digitally archived as PDF on August 3, 2024).
  8. ^ "Becoming a Township". Little Italy Arkansas. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  9. ^ Walkenhorst, Emily. "State's Little Italy denied bid to be town.". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. February 27, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2024. (Digitally archived as PDF on August 3, 2024).
  10. ^ Harrison, Judge Brandon J., et al. "INCORPORATORS OF COMMUNITY KNOWN AS LITTLE ITALY v. PULASKI COUNTY. Court of Appeals of Arkansas. November 28, 2018." FindLaw. Retrieved July 25, 2024. (Digitally archived as PDF on August 3, 2024).
  11. ^ "Little Italy descendants and friends establish non-profit; museum". Little Italy Arkansas. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  12. ^ Mackay, Mercedes. "Little Italy Arkansas Heritage Museum brings life to pivotal part of Arkansas' history". KTHV. September 15, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2024. (Digitally archived as PDF on August 4, 2024).
  13. ^ "Local Announcements: St. Francis Church 90th Anniversary Celebrated October 2012". Little Italy Arkansas. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  14. ^ Lane, Kim. "Little Italy Celebrates 100 Years as a Community". AY Magazine. September 11, 2015. Blog. Retrieved July 25, 2024. (Digitally archived as PDF on August 3, 2024).
  15. ^ Price, Chris. “Immigrant Catholics Founded Little Italy 100 Years Ago”. Arkansas Catholic. August 11, 2022. Article regarding the centennial anniversary of St. Fransis of Assisi Catholic Church, Little Italy. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  16. ^ "LITTLE ITALY ITALIAN FESTIVAL". Arkansas Tourism Official Site. Maintained by the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  17. ^ Morgan, Rebecca. "A taste of the Old World in Arkansas—Little Italy." Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. August 1, 1999. (Appendix C in Dorer, 2002; see Further reading).
  18. ^ Hebda, Dwain. "Serving God — and the best spaghetti in Arkansas". Arkansas Catholic. 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2024.