Waterbury Connecticut Waterbury, located some 20 miles northwest of New Haven shares its industrial heritage with this larger city. Waterbury is situated at the confluence of the Naugatuck and Mad Rivers, and the availability of waterpower played a role in the establishment of its factories.
It has been the center of the United States brass industry since the early 1800’s. By the 1920’s more that a third of the brass manufactured in this country came from the Waterbury area.
Factories of Waterbury
Undoubtedly, just as New Haven factories needed workers, Waterbury factories sought men and women to work in their plants, and Italian immigrants filled some of these vacancies, as described it the following passage from the Celenza web site.
“The first Italian settlers in Waterbury were Pietro and Giuseppe Bauby, who moved to the city in 1872. The Italians of Waterbury by Sando Bologna at p. 12. Within a few years, southern Italians flooded into the city, attracted by opportunities for employment in Waterbury’s brass mills. Id., 15. Between 1875 and 1885, Giuseppe Spallone, Michele Fiscelli, Vincenzo (Iamele) Jamele, Luigi Di Pietro, Vincenzo Rossi and Antonio Diorio from Celenza Valfortore all settled in Waterbury. Id. These men most likely arrived through Castle Garden, which pre-dates Ellis Island. The first Ellis Island arrival whom we found that indicated Waterbury as her destination was a twenty-one year old housekeeper by the name of Maria Villani. She arrived on September 14, 1892 on a ship called the Plata, which sailed from Naples.”
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