Our Lady of Pompeii Church
c. mid 20th Century
Though Milwaukee is known for its German and Polish communities, there were other ethnicities that came in smaller numbers, but with no less enthusiasm for their culture. Italians, particularly from Sicily, began arriving in Milwaukee in the late19th century. There grew an Italian community in Milwaukee’s Third Ward. At the center of this was Our Lady of Pompeii Church.
As the generations progressed, the Italian center of the city began to grow thin with successful individuals moving out of the downtown area. By the 1960’s the Third Ward was beginning to transform even more and the nail in the coffin was the demolishion of the Italian community’s icon, the Church. In the name of urban renewal Our Lady of Pompeii was demolished in 1967. Not to be dettered, the Italian community in Milwaukee came together in 1978, in an effort to keep their culture alive, and hosted the first Festa Italiana at the Summerfest grounds near downtown. The event proved to be a great success, and established a new opportunity for community gathering, where before they had been without.
Thank you to Sandy Pagel for adopting this artifact! This support enhances our Collections Department’s artifact preservation program. Learn more about our Adopt An Artifact program.
