Clarksburg

Clarksburg, similar to much of West Virginia, has a rich mining heritage which drew tens of thousands of Italians to the state. One of the largest settlements in the state was Clarksburg, with approximately 25% of the population being of Italian descent around 1980. The “Little Italy” enclave of Clarksburg is the Glen Elk neighborhood, which housed much of the Italian population in the area who worked in primarily coal, glass, or other blue collar industries. Home of the West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival, which began in 1979 and is ranked as one of the “Top 100 Events in North America” and consistently draws in over 100,000 people over the three day festival. Home to the internet celebrities and sisters Genevieve and Arlene Buttafusco, better known as Gramma and Ginga, who were born to immigrant parents and gained significant popularity for their comedic arguments before their passing at ages 106 and 103 respectively.