For generations, families left Santarcangelo, Italy and settled in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, especially in the city’s North End. Even today, many of the same family names can be found in both places—a reminder that the two communities have been linked for decades through shared history, culture, and identity.
In 2019, that connection took on new life. About fifty Portsmouth residents—many of them descendants of Santarcangelo immigrants—gathered at City Hall to speak live with people in Santarcangelo. The moment was simple but powerful: stories were shared, names were recognized, and a sense of belonging crossed the ocean. That same year, the two cities officially signed a Friendship City agreement, recognizing a bond that had already existed for generations.
