Walking through the Italian "West End" neighbourhood of Sault Ste. Marie w/ my dad who grew up there

Hi everyone, my name is Johnny and I was born and raised in Mississauga, Canada. My Dad was born in Torre Di Palme, Fermo, Italy but grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Canada after his family emigrated there in the mid-1950s to work at the steel plant (Algoma Steel). A large wave of Italians came to Sault Ste. Marie ("The Soo") during that time for work, including my mother's family-- and nearly all of them settled in the West End of the city. This neighbourhood was located steps from the Algoma Steel plant, and was a thriving Italian/Canadian community in its time.
It has drastically changed since then (as you can see in the video), but it was so great to walk the streets with my dad, see some of the locations where our iconic family photos were taken, and hear about life back in the 50s in the West End of The Soo.
UPDATE We also released a video going through the streets of my dad's hometown in Italy where he was born: • Walking through my dad...
Thanks for watching and please leave a comment if you have any cool stories about the West End in the Soo!

[@seanm8485]

Thank you for filming this, it was very neat to see! My grandmother grew up on Albert Street, just west of Gore Street in the 30's/40's. The house and area she grew up in has definitely seen better days, even if it was very working class back then. She moved to the east end once she married and had kids, which is where my mom grew up. Despite being rough around the edges, The Soo will always have a special place for us

[@tcook627]

An urban planner describing the failures of previous urban planning. I love it!

[@taylorprestidge]

the boarded-up house at 2:17 is where my grandfather grew up!

[@hankstar101]

Thx for the great video, Its sad to see how James Town has become though..

[@noahclan1233]

I live behind the church now.

[@isabellesunn2151]

Thanks for sharing! My family also grew up in Sault Ste. Marie after my Father and Mother emigrated there from Italy. I have shared this video to my Facebook page - I am sure many of my friends and relatives will appreciate it as well.

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

Hi Isabelle, thanks so much for re-sharing the video! Glad you can appreciate it. It was a very fascinating community, and it was a lot of fun hearing these stories from my dad. Cheers!

[@robertholley3045]

Thank you for this very informative documentary, being a life long "Sooite" being raised in the East end found this facinating...

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

Thank you so much for taking the time to watch it -- cheers!

[@apriljokelainen6089]

Wonderful! Loved every minute of your walk about

[@angelanino8077]

Thank you for sharing. My father is Ron Nino. Great video!

[@dsutton777]

I'm from the Soo and ya.. its a great city to grow up with lots of outdoor activities and most of all friendly people. Thanks for the video !

[@owenpagliaro524]

Hey Johnny! My great great grandfather, Luigi Pagliaro helped build the “Our Lady Of Mount Carmel” church back in the early 1900’s!

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

That’s really cool, thanks for sharing!!

[@Penneault]

I grew up in that neighborhood until i was about 15 i believe. I still remember the houses that were torn down from the CIBC across from Greco Pool all the way down Albert St to the tracks where St. Mary's Elementary School was and I'm assuming where your dad went. Jamestown was pretty rough in the 80's and 90's as well. At the end of James St where a building was obviously removed, that used to be a bar. Actually the building across was a bar as well. We used to buy used hockey skates in one of the shops there up until the man who owned it passed away. His grandsons name was Joey. There was still a lot of Italians in those days too and i used to sneak in their yards and steal vegetables. Thanks for the tour.

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

Really cool that you grew up in this neighbourhood, thanks so much for sharing that! Haha Italians love their gardens, I'm sure you ate well :P All the best and thanks for watching!

[@brunoguy2317]

This is awesome. My late grandfather had a small house down there when he arrived here in the late 50s by ship. As he started his family in Italy, once my grandmother arrived here a few years later the rest of the family was made and raised here, He worked at the plant for a long time trying to support his family. Thanks for sharing this.

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

Hey there, thanks so much for watching the video and for sharing your family's story here. Sounds exactly like my family's history in the soo (and many other Italian families) -- appreciate it!

[@johngreco5566]

I loved your video. I was born in 1956 & my parents lived there until they passed in the late 80’s early 90’s. Your dad probably went to St. Mary’s elementary school. The corner he refers to as the hub was “The Corner”. When you said I’ll meet you at the corner, that only could mean “The Corner”. The vibe was fantastic because there were lots of big families plus when people got married, they stayed in the are. So lots of cousins, aunts & uncles plus grandparents, all within those few blocks. Then all the Catholics went to the same church & elementary school, which everyone walked to,so the streets were always busy with pedestrians.

[@jimblack8027]

I'm in London, ON ... a friend of mine from the Soo sent me this and I thoroughly enjoyed it... especially from a City Planner... good job guys

[@phyllisdietrich5118]

I'm not Italian but lived in the Soo for 13 years. Always good to see and hear about an area I'm somewhat familiar (with). This was fun to walk around with you and see all the landmarks(that used to be here). Keep doing this kind of work!

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

Thank you so much for the kind words Phyllis, I appreciate the support! A few months after filming this video, I did another video walking through my dad's hometown in Italy (the video is also on my channel) -- it's so fascinating to see where my family came from in Italy, and ultimately where the ended up when they arrived in Canada. It must have been such a different world for them! Cheers

[@paulandcorinnekozak1138]

I (Paul Kozak) grew up in SSM during the 60s and 70s and spent a lot of time at my grandparents home in the west end. I recognize all the buildings and locations shown in the video. I remember the barber shop your father showed us, it was Nanne's as I remember. A terrific video. I consider my experiences from the Sault's west end as contributing to me eventually becoming a professional urban planner.

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

Thanks for sharing Paul! Funny how my dad also became a city planner growing up in the same neighbourhood. All the best!

[@ianross806]

I spent part of my early childhood in a tiny house on Devon Road in the west end for about three years (like 1969 to 1972) Our next door neighbours (to the left of us) in a big brown multi-storied house were the Kozaks. Wondering if this the same family?

[@jimking2299]

The urban renewal movement had noble intentions, but disastrous results. A sad story. Thank you for this look back at what's been lost.

[@thesoulcompass]

Awesome Johnny! We have driven through this area many times with my mother (Sanzosti and Ubriaco)- and yes, not like it used to be. I'm sure your father would have some memories of these families

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

Thank you, I'll make sure my dad reads this comment, and the others! Thanks for watching

[@Vespachronicles]

My Mother and Father and grandparents first home in Canada was a rental on James Street. I was born there in 1954. My father also had a tailer shop on the street as well as working his shifts at the plant. A memory I have was of that corner shop. There was a Barber Shop there called"Nats" (Nanne) was the name of the barber. I didn't mind getting a hair cut because after my haircut, I was treated to some candy from the confectionary store through a door at the barber shop. Demo, your maternal grandfather was a good friend of my father.

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

Hi Dan, sorry for the late reply here! Thank you so much for the kind words and for sharing that memory. My dad always spoke of that barber shop as well. Seems like it was the place to be seen. Also, it's so nice to hear that my grandfather was friends with your father...I appreciate that! All the best

[@Vespachronicles]

@@JohnnyFiacconi Ciao Johnny. Please send my saluti to mom and dad.

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

@@Vespachronicles will do Dan! Take care

[@dinomakin0]

Great video. I love how your dad has the insider perspective as one who grew up in the neighbourhood and the expert perspective as an urban planner.

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

Thanks so much Dean, yeah, I'd like to think he has a good take on things from both perspectives!!

[@maryclairewood3200]

Sad to see my grandmother's house boarded up, two doors down from the church

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

That's sad to hear, but hopefully the good memories of the house will live on.

[@taylorprestidge]

That's where my grandfather lived as well in the 20s and 30s! @@JohnnyFiacconi

[@RodMacQuarrie]

I found it very interesting to hear the perspective of your father - someone who actually grew up in the West End of the Sault. As kids growing up in the Sault, we never went to that area of town. It was considered off limits for some reason, more of a ghetto area. I used to work at the MIke’s Milk (rebranded Mike’s Mart, now Mac’s) at the corner of Cathcart and Gore, so I guess I once straddled the line between what was considered the East and West End of Sault Ste. Marie in the early 80’s. Your video sent me down a rabbit hole of researching exactly how Italians came to make up 22% of the population of modern-day Sault Ste. Marie, and why there seemed to be such a divide between Italians and those of Anglo-Saxon heritage when I was growing up there in the 70’s and 80’s. If you are interested in what I discovered...read the full details in my replies below:

[@RodMacQuarrie]

In 1891 the census shows there was only one Italian in the entire District of Algoma, which stretched all the way to Port Arthur, now Thunder Bay. The majority of immigrants in this area were from Britain, so Northern Ontario had a primarily Northern European flavor to it. In the early 1900’s, the steel mill was having difficulty finding laborers to work in the steel mill and paper plant, so they began attracting and hiring immigrants from overseas. Many Italians were nicknamed “Swallows”, because they would work between Canada and Argentina depending on the season. Most of Anglo-Saxon descent considered them temporary residents. At the time, those who invested in property were considered deeply invested in a community, and those who merely rented (or lived in ramshackle housing) were considered outsiders.

[@RodMacQuarrie]

By 1901 there were 524 Italian immigrants in the Sault. In 1902, 200 Italian immigrants arrived and were forced to live in tents in the West End because there was no place for them to live. By 1911, Italians made up 11% of the population. The Sault Daily Star ran an editorial in 1913 suggesting that these Italians had no intention of staying in the Sault permanently, perhaps to assuage concerns that they would take over the city. In 1913-1915, three self-help societies were formed to support the Italian community: the Marconi Society (composed of mainly northern Italians), the Duke of Abruzzi, and the Order Sons of Italy (composed of mainly southern Italians). The Sault chapter of the latter was called the Verdi Lodge. The focus of these societies was to promote “italianness”, which probably further isolated these communities from the surrounding Anglo-Saxons. By 1914 there were 3000 Italians registered as permanent residents in the Sault, and 600-800 seasonal workers. Most of these early workers were hired to build the railways and the Algoma Steel plant itself! While Italy initially aligned with Germany in WWI (1914-1918), they eventually fought alongside Britain which improved the perception and acceptance of Italians within the greater Sault community.

[@RodMacQuarrie]

Immigration from Italy was banned during the Great Depression (1929-1939). During this time, many Italian families (about 25%) survived by bootlegging liquor. Even in the late 70’s, making liquor out of dandelions was something of an art and many Italians did so in the basement of their homes. I knew several who did. In the early 1900’s the area known as “Little Italy” in the West End of town was considered “the foreign quarter” and had no water or sewer service until 1906 and 1912 respectively. East enders (mostly Anglo-Saxons) had to travel through Little Italy to get to jobs at the steel mill. There was not much communication between the Anglo-Saxon communities east of Gore St. and the Italians to the west. The Finns and Poles straddled the line. Gore Street was considered a line that you rarely crossed, either way. By 1931, the Sault was 58% British, 14% Italian, and 9% French. Only 5% of these Italians were born abroad. The Sault had probably the highest percentage of Italian immigrants in the country at the time, even greater than Montreal or Toronto.

[@RodMacQuarrie]

Mussolini came to power in Italy in 1922. He began to infiltrate overseas societies with his fascist political ideas, including the Order Sons of Italy (OSOI). The highest officer in the OSOI wrote a letter to Mussolini indicating “The 300,000 members of the Order of Sons of Italy send you their greetings and good wishes” and claimed that they “followed him with faith.” Many Italian immigrants were used to being ignored by Italy, and treated as foreigners in Canada, so fascism gave them recognition of their worth as Italians. The Verdi and Marconi raised money for the Italian government through bazaars, dances, and banquets. Italian wives gave away their gold jewelry to support the new Italian government and wore steel bands instead. At a 1935 Sault Rotary Club lecture by Rev. Sauro of the OSOI, Italians booed and hissed when pictures of the British fleet were shown, and celebrated when photos of Italian troops were displayed. In October 1935, the American chapter of the OSOI announced they were boycotting British goods, sending 4000 bales of munitions to Italy, and pledging support for Mussolini. The leadership of the Verdi Lodge was silent, giving the impression of support for fascism. It didn’t help that the Venerable of the Verdi Lodge raised his fist in a fascist salute when placing a wreath on Armistice Day in 1938. He was forced to resign or the lodge would be forced to close by the city.

[@RodMacQuarrie]

In 1939 Canada declared war against Germany. In a Sault Star editorial, a statement was made that “there should be no toleration whatever in Canada for disloyal persons, whether they are native born or come from foreign countries.” The Sault was a very important location during the war. Steel was transported through the locks to the east coast to be used in tanks, ammunition, ships, and airplanes for the war effort. Wheat from the west was transported through the locks to feed the troops who were fighting against the Nazis. Without notice, hundreds of large balloons were deployed to keep the Soo Locks safe during the war. The German “fifth column” was deployed to infiltrate other countries through societies like the Order Sons of Liberty. You can imagine the concern of Anglo-Saxon citizens in the Sault.

[@timelesstruths]

Great share.

[@robinelsigan3409]

That's fantastic information . .

[@frankpaci6043]

Your video brought back a lot of memories. Thanks. You can check out the early novels of F.G. Paci (The Italians, Black Madonna, The Father, Black Blood), which are about life in the West End in the fifties and sixties, before and after Urban Renewal.

[@erosphotosandclips4351]

Thanks. This was just am inpromptu walkabout the neighbourhood. Your novels, I'm sure a well researched and provide much greater insights. I'll look into them.

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

Thank you so much for watching the video! I’ve heard of your work from people in The Soo. I’d really like to check out one of your novels. Appreciate you leaving the comment here, thanks Frank!

[@gr8nessaw8s94]

Hey do you guys know James Street little italy Bobby Joes I am very very desperately trying to find the guy who ran it w his ,the fiance, Nick was his name n hers was Ang. He worked,Managed Bobby Joes. I lived in a small town square behind the Camichle Club (probably got name wrong). I was only 14. But Nick really protected me bc I was a kid n my Mum was Jenny Dunlop n her nf was Louie Guitard. We lived on James Street btwn 2 little brick buildings.

[@mrlahey2097]

Nice little video. My parents were married at that church, and as a kid, before the area turned into crackhead alley. We used to go to spadonis, get our skates there and my bisnonna lived in one of the apartments buildings in the area until the early 90s until my zio brought her down to southern Ontario. The movie Looking for Angelina was filmed there and my father and I were in it as well. I wish that part of the Soo was maintained.

[@coreyhenry1084]

My mom was from the Sault & I spent summers there. I found out in the last few years that a very nice young man had pursued my mom b4 she was married & my mother wanted to see him but my grandmother forbade it. Because he was Italian. It was a different time, but it makes you wonder what could have been.

[@egassi1027]

Dubrueil Lumber was across from the Mt Carmel church.

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

Good to know! Thank you!

[@joedirt9600]

​@@JohnnyFiacconithey had a rail spur and brought lumber down from the mill on the train. We hauled it from there down into the states by truck, back in the good old days of the lumber haul.

[@robinelsigan3409]

Wow Dick Vanderklift was my Godfather.

[@rickrobitaille8809]

So cool remember this😆🇨🇦

[@deborahanne9793]

Deborah Anne 1 second ago Hi, I lived in the West end the first two years of my life. My dad grew up there, Jim Barone. My grandparents lived here , Frank and Ursula Barone (Raffael).

[@chrisp.5797]

I guess I'm about your dad's age and also grew up in the Soo. I didn't live in the James St. area but still in the west end. Spent a lot of time around Jamest St where we had a lot of relatives. A second cousin of my father's owned that barber shop in the video in the 60' and 70's. Not sure about the 50's. Both my grandfather and father boarded I that area when they first came to Canada.

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

That’s great, thanks for sharing!

[@liammeadows9782]

My maternal grandparents got married in that church, cool vid dude.

[@ValleyPooch]

A very interesting video. I grew up in the Sault, having lived north of Jamestown near Wellington Street, and deeper into the Westend in Korah, eventually moving to the eastend. I have a question. I thought that the area where the shops were on James Street was called Steelton? Are Jamestown and Steelton the same place? I believe that Steelton was a separate city from the Sault at one time. Another interesting area in the Sault is Bayview in the far west Westend. It had a similar vibe to Jamestown, but I believe a smaller shopping area and perhaps a sizeable immigrant population from Ukraine. Overall, I recall that there many Italian immigrants all over the Westend, mostly from Calabria and Sicily. There was another steel plant gate in Bayview. I moved to the Sault from Finland and remember that there was a Finnish area on Albert St., (a few blocks away form James St.) known as Häkkinsen Mäki to Finns. I also recall that Finns rented the old Marconi Hall for events until they secured the Hiawatha Lodge for their events. I have great childhood memories from the old hall. Thanks

[@dinahleveille5921]

The fact that you where talking about spadonis and the guy with the white beard with out the shirt came walking behind you his name is spadoni makes it 10x better

[@chris123chris82]

My wife and I are also from Mississauga. We’re looking to grow our family and simply can’t afford the gta… we’re looking to relocate but worry about finding work in this small towns

[@Ultra54able]

My grandparents owned a grocery store and owned a boarding house there.

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

That's so great! Thanks for sharing!

[@austinkent3509]

Are you related to Georgina Fiacconi ? She is my great Nona, her son is Ronald nino, also an urban planner. Really cool video. Wish I could have seen the west end in its prime.

[@austinkent3509]

She was born in Torre Di Palme as well…we must be related

[@cloco3]

Well , I'd say the part of town you're currently waking would not be west, pretty much from the underpass @ Carmen's way, is more what we call west end .. you my sir are in good ol down town James town.

[@JohnnyFiacconi]

Thanks for the info! I just always heard it referred to as the "West End" growing up from family. Thanks for the clarification, and for watching -- cheers

[@anthonyrosso6158]

This certainly is the West End and its borders were roughlyGore to West St and Cathcart to Queen West. Korah, Buckley and Bayview had their own identities but they were never the West End.

[@danrook5757]

Those old time druggies walking by