2670 Spring Street, Retsof New York 14539, United States
Donations in memory of Chico Vattimo
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About Us
Preserving the Past
Little Italy Nature Preserve was founded in 2018 by local residents with memories of the area. We are dedicated to the preservation of natural habitats and historically important sites by increasing environmental awareness for both present and future generations.
Our History
Circa 1890 a place called Little Italy came into being near Griegsville, New York. Most of the residents of Little Italy were immigrants who came to work in the nearby salt mine, and many were of Italian descent.
The area had approximately 40 homes, a boarding house, a fresh water reservoir and an ice house. Most of the homes had shallow basements built from red blocks.
The families living there had their gardens, some families had chickens and other animals used for food. I was told they used a community wood oven for baking bread.
Today, over 100 years later, what remains of Little Italy is being overtaken by trees. Red bricks from the foundations sit beneath grass and trees loom over land once cleared for inhabitation. The Little Italy from photographs before 1923 is impossible to discern in this place that is approaching wilderness.
The company moved employees out of Little Italy in approximately 1923 and the land was sold in 1997. The character of Little Italy was dispersed with those who had lived there to the village of Retsof, New York, or back to Italy. The geology of the area though has been irrevocably changed by the activity of the miners of Little Italy.
Get Involved
Please contact us if you wish to join our organization or volunteer with the preserve.