North Side near Richmond in Henrico County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Italians in Richmond

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, May 8, 2017

1. Italians in Richmond Marker

Inscription. Italian immigrants were a small but cohesive segment of Richmond’s population by the 1850s. Local artist Ferruccio Legnaioli, who employed many Italian immigrant artisans, influenced the cityscape with his ornamental designs for the facades of prominent buildings early in the 20th century. In 1927 the Italian-American community gave the city a statue of Christopher Columbus, designed by Legnaioli and erected near Byrd Park. From the 1920s to the 1960s about 100 families, primarily from Tuscany, resided in a tight-knit “Little Italy” here in North Highland Park. Central to community life were restauranteur Umberto Balducci’s villa, the Italian Club, and St. Elizabeth Catholic Church.

Erected 2016 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number SA-115.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list.

Location. 37° 34.547′ N, 77° 25.08′ W. Marker is near Richmond, Virginia, in Henrico County. It is in the North Side. It is on Carolina Avenue south of Milton Street, on the left when traveling south. Located in Ann

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Hardy Plaza. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Richmond VA 23222, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Piedmont

and in Central Virginia.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Old Dominion Building (approx. 0.8 miles away); Woodland Cemetery (approx. one mile away); Barton Heights Cemeteries (approx. 1.4 miles away); Emek Sholom Holocaust Memorial (approx. 1.6 miles away); Outer Fortifications (approx. 1.6 miles away); Washington Park Community (approx. 1.6 miles away); Chickahominy Bluff (approx. 1.7 miles away); Defending Richmond (approx. 1.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Richmond.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Richmond Defences (was approx. 1.3 miles away but has been confirmed missing).

Ann Hardy Plaza image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, May 8, 2017

2. Ann Hardy Plaza

Carolina Ave (facing south) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, May 8, 2017

3. Carolina Ave (facing south)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 9, 2017, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,934 times since then and 112 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 9, 2017, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.