Spokane

In Spokane there existed a large settlement of Italians in the Minnehaha and Hillyard neighborhoods, many of whom moved to the area for work on area railroads or in the lumber industry. Though they shared the neighborhood with Japanese immigrants, many traditions from the old country survived amongst the Italians, where many businesses, farms, and community centers helped to keep the culture alive within their new homeland. In the early days, the neighborhood was approximately 90% Italian, by the mid 1990’s it was estimated to be slightly less than 50%. The population has continued to shrink and there is now little remaining of the original neighborhood.