At the turn of the century, SW Portland had an Italian business district, culture and neighborhood. The district remained intact until 1961, when it was abolished due an urban renewal. The city lost not just a thriving business district but a vibrant community as well. There is a movement within the community to restore "Little Italy". The dream is to recreate an Italian district, with a mixed-use area that will include retail shops, restaurants, residential housing and a cultural center that will renew a familiar way of life for resident and visiting Italians, while inviting the local Portland community to share in the vitality of the Italian culture.

Much of the history of the Italians in Portland has been recorded by the Oregon Historical Society: In the late 1800′s Italians emigrated to Portland to build a better life. Their desire was to create new opportunities for themselves and their families. As the Italian population increased, it was a natural course of events that a "Little Italy" in Portland developed. It was between 1900 and 1910, however, that Portland saw the largest growth in the city's Italian American population.

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Fonte: Jovina Cooks Italian