Covid-19 2020 Summer Done, uncertainty as we head into Winter in Wooster Square.

 Wooster Street has NEVER been busier!

Wait, what?

You're telling me, that despite Covid-19 there's

more people on Wooster Street than you've seen

in the going on 15 years living around

our Historic Hallowed Hanami Haven?

But, but, how?

Masks available on ebay

Click here to buy on ebay.

Good old fashioned New England grit, the Italian Character of the neighborhood 

and peoples predilection for our precious, perfect,  

World Famous Apizza.

Wooster Square has always 

been on the leading edge of History. 

Since 1638 it was a mix of all peoples.

We were protected by the Quinnipiac native Americans

in offering them protection from those gambling

tribes, the Mohegans.

Sea Captains houses dot Wooster Square.

Widow Walks on houses all over New Haven.

In the early 1840's the Irish were tempted by

work in the Arms Manufacturing business

or work on the Farmington Canal, for

now infamous, William Lanson.

A free Black man, Langston constructed Long Wharf

when no other companies could do the job.

He owned a quarry and houses 

and hotels for free and runaway slaves.

Read about Lanson and his struggles in a recent statue unveiling.

When the Irish got to Wooster Square, 

there was not a place to Worship. 

Being the first Catholics to live

among the Puritanical Protestants, they were

sent off to live in Wooster Square,

or New Township as it was called.

According to Blossom Blog Mainframe,

A Hartford priest would come down to the Corner of Chapel and Olive, nicknamed Sliney's Corner,

and say a Mass. Eventually, they opened

St. Mary's church on Hillhouse Ave.

Now the site is a church. At one time the site

held the building that housed one

famous Wooster Squarian,

but not in a good way.

A few years later, Italians were recruited to Work in Manufacturing and textiles. And they opened the First Italian Catholic Church in Connecticut

in Wooster Square.

We're still reaping the rewards of

having the Italian wave hit

this sleepy sanguine square.

After all, Wooster Square is our Little Italy!

Are we busier than those turn of the Century Immigrants were on 

Wooster Street back in the day?

Fuggetaboutit.

Wooster Street instead of dumping on to

I-95, used to stretch for blocks, before

they had "Urban Redevelopment"

and built the interstate.

Small groceries, bakeries, boarding and bath houses, & Butchers snaked down Wooster Street. 

You think it smells good now?

 

Just imagine the Sunday Sauce cooking

on all the stoves in Wooster Square, 

you literally can smell the tomatoes stewing on a Sunday afternoon at

the turn of the Century in 1900.

So to make a long story short,

it's busier than I've seen since I've

lived in the Connecticut and N'aven.

(1982/1988).

Two new apartment buildings are

being built at the beginning of Wooster Street.

The impact of social media

is unmistakably felt when going down the street.

Car license plates from all 50 states.

Easy on, easy off,

Wooster Street is a welcoming gateway

to New England. Here, have a pie!

All the restaurants on Wooster Street have outdoor dining. Many just order to go pies

and eat them out of their trunk

or in the park, or just plain walking.

Grab some pies, some cannoli and get

back on 95 north to Newport,

Cape Cod, Vermont, Massachusetts,

Maine and New Hampshire.

Welcome to Wooster Square.

Today there has been a lot of discord. 

Those who live in Wooster Square see the good in all the different kinds of folks that live here today.

But, it really didn't change. It was always a place to

start, whether you were a person of color, native american Irish, or Italian. A neighborhood built on the 

most important character of Wooster Square.

Neighbors.

I know they say, back in the day, we didn't lock

our doors etc. Until I moved to the Square,

I could never appreciate knowing most 

of your neighbors. It exists today still strong

as ever of a  neighborhood.

Especially if you have a dog!

So if you're new to N'aven,

glad you came.

Guess what time of year it is?

The answer to that comes in my next post!

*hint: free pizza

See you on Wooster Street

or

See You Round the Square!

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Click here to find your dream home!

 

 

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