Little Italy Cleanup and Restoration

Little Italy is a quaint neighborhood in South Eastern Baltimore Maryland. Close to Fells. Point, Upper Fells Point and Harbor East. All just a few blocks from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Little Italy was given its name due to the large number of Italian families living in the neighborhood, with narrow streets and painted murals. When visiting Little Italy you will find families still living within the same home their ancestors settled into when they called Baltimore home.

15 square blocks makes up Little Italy today, which consists of residential homes and local businesses. Within these 15 blocks there are historical land markers known to Little Italy; such as the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House, Reginal F Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History and Culture, The Jewish Museum of Maryland, The Shot Tower and The Historic President-Street-Station.

Known for their Italian festivals taking place at D’Alesandro Park. Their largest being an annual procession followed by a festival to honor Saint Anthony. The people of Little Italy claim the festival honoring Saint Anthony their largest festival every year as many believe, if it wasn’t for Saint Anthony, Little Italy would not be here today. When the Great Fire of Baltimore took place in 1904 and was at the point the fire was uncontrollable; it was determined Little Italy was in the path of destruction. Residents gathered their belonging and went to Patterson Park for refuge, some residents would not to leave. Others went to the east bank of interstate 83 at the Jones Falls Expressway and began to pray. They screamed to Saint Anthony to protect their neighborhood. Over the period of several hours the wind began to shift and Little Italy was spared. Water damage restoration and the fire damage restoration had not even begun when the shifting of the fire took place. The Great Fire of Baltimore caused over $100 million dollars in damage, destroyed 1,500 buildings on 86 city blocks, killed 5 people and caused 35,000 people to be jobless. Back then, water damage restoration services and fire damage restoration services consisted of mopping and wiping. Many of the effected buildings were demolished for rebuild. The science of applied drying was not yet discovered.

Little Italy continues to thrive as the values and beliefs of the community still remains strong.