Varieties of ethnic identity and landscape among Italian immigrants in Northern California

From the 1850s to the 1930s, immigrants of northern Italian heritage settled throughout Northern California. These individuals and families coalesced in urban neighborhoods and rural outposts and became the predominant foreign- born group in a number of cities and towns in the region. As miners, stonemasons, storekeepers, boardinghouse operators, and laborers they played an important role in creating the region's complex cultural landscape. This paper compares and contrasts the expression of Italian ethnic identity in two Northern California towns. The case studies demonstrate how ethnic landscapes can vary depending on immigrant origins, time of arrival, local economic opportunities, and relations with the host community. The economic and social conditions that shaped-and continue to reshape- the distinctive ethnic landscapes of these two towns have broader implications for society at large.