Reading the phone book in Santarcangelo di Romagna, Italy, is like reading Portsmouth’s phone book, with the names Ferrini, Semprini, Bizzocchi, Caminati, Ciotti, Zamarchi, Pesaresi and Riciputi in both, said Portsmouth’s Donna Garganta. She shared that observation with the City Council last week, while urging councilors to approve a “Friendship City” agreement between the cities.
“Italian families from many regions of Italy immigrated here starting in the late 1800s,” said Garganta, whose mother was born in Santarcangelo di Romagna, located in northeast Italy. “Many of these families came from the same di Romagna area of the country.”
