Editing Immigration Wave 1870-1920 (section)

== Ethnic Neighborhoods ==

Immigrants settled in neighborhoods that became identified with particular ethnic groups, creating a patchwork of communities across the city. South Philadelphia became the center of Italian Philadelphia, with Italian immigrants establishing shops, churches, and social clubs along streets like 9th Street, where the Italian Market remains a reminder of this heritage. Polish immigrants concentrated in Port Richmond and Bridesburg, establishing St. Adalbert's and other Polish Catholic parishes. Jewish immigrants settled initially in the area around South Street and gradually moved northward into neighborhoods like Strawberry Mansion and, later, the Northeast. Irish immigrants, who had been arriving since the famine era, continued to dominate neighborhoods like Kensington and Grays Ferry.<ref name="golab"/>

Each ethnic group established institutions to serve its community and preserve its culture. Catholic parishes were organized along ethnic as well as geographic lines, with separate churches serving Irish, Italian, Polish, and other immigrant communities—sometimes within blocks of each other. Jewish immigrants established synagogues reflecting the diverse traditions of their homelands: German Jews, Lithuanian Jews, and Russian Jews maintained distinct congregations. Mutual aid societies provided insurance, burial benefits, and social networks for members from the same region or occupation. Newspapers in Italian, Yiddish, Polish, and other languages served immigrant readers. These institutions helped preserve ethnic identity while also facilitating adaptation to American life.<ref name="bodnar"/>