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In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s,Italian immigrants disenchanted with the city life they found in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Queens moved from the city to the suburbs of Nassau and Suffolk counties. They were attracted to eastern Long Island by economic opportunity, the availability of farmland, home ownership possibilities, and alternatives to harsh city life. They became the largest of all ethnic groups.

Long Island, New York
Smithtown (1907)

The Italian American presence continues today comprising about 25 percent of the total population of Long Island. Long Island Italians graphically illustrate that their labor was vital to the development of the area’s roads, agriculture, railroads, and industry. By the early twentieth century, Italians made up the bulk of the work force. The book, Images of America, Long Island Italians, is recommended to anyone seeking an in depth understanding of the Italians of Long Island.

Long Island Sound Shore