Waterbury, Reputedly
By Vincent E. Martinelli, Jr
For over 100 years, Waterbury has been known as an Italian city. In actuality, Waterbury is a, largely, Italian city. Although the Italian population has been dwindling, by populous and not by numbers, more than 26,000 residents still boast Italian as their sole ancestry prior to America. Further, another 24,000 take credit for being half Italian. This gives the Italians a plurality in the Brass City.
Many Italians moved to other towns once they became financially successful. First they moved to Wolcott, Prospect, and such, next they chose Watertown, and beyond. Many Italians have stayed in the city, and not too many new Italians have been moving into the City of Neighborhoods. For these reasons, the Italians, by populous, are dwindling.
More lately, Waterbury has been becoming more Spanish; more precisely, Hispanic. Specifically, it’s the isle of Puerto Rico that has contributed to the huge shift in population. In fact, the Puerto Ricans represent about 75% of the Hispanic population. Still, about 32,000 people of the Time Capital of the Nation indicate Puerto Rico as their nation of descendancy, at a 50% or higher concentration.
Next in line in populous are the people of Black and African Black ancestry. They number just shy of 22,000 of the Fastener Capitol’s residents.
Inconsistent with the above, is the measure of languages spoken. Right now, about 63% of the peoples of Waterbury speak English, at least as their primary language. That number is disappointingly low, although not shocking considering the fact that Waterbury has not only always been a diverse City of Neighborhoods, but we also have dozens of ethnicities here which are represented in fairly large numbers.
Despite that the Italians far out-number any other ethnicity, the language spoken next most commonly is Spanish (specifically, mostly, the Puerto Rican dialect). Spanish is spoken as the primarily language among about 27% of residents in our great city.
All other languages that are spoken as the primary language pale by comparison to English and Spanish. Still, about 2,300 people here speak, as their primary language, either Italian or Portuguese, or some form of Indo-European. Surprisingly, over 1,000 of us primarily speak African.
The melting-pot diversity of Waterbury seems to be a tradition which will continue for the foreseeable future. About 19,000 people in our City of Neighborhoods were born outside of the United States of American. Also, recent events in Afghanistan, Ukraine, and the Mexican border are likely to fuel continued flavoring of our proud peoples.
The accuracy of reporting is also likely to unskew our numbers as well. The United States Census Bureau has taken steps to collect data more accurately by asking better questions. However, the Bureau still poses leading questions and denies the possibility of accurate reporting for some people, by disallowing various answers or input. For instance, the term “Latin” is first undefined, secondly over-used, and thirdly is only a trendy numeration with no basis in genealogy, heritage, nationality, nor culture. Also, it is irrelevant since it crosses dozens of ethnicities and scores of heritages and all income levels.
In summary, the great City of Waterbury, City of Neighborhoods, Brass Capitol of the World, Time Capitol of Nation, Fastener Capitol of America – whatever your preference – has been ethnically, culturally, linguistically, and spiritually diverse for over a century, and, like the brass that built its reputation, this sense and instinct of neighborly inclusion is likely to be longer-lasting than any of us may have previously imagined.
Many Italians moved to other towns once they became financially successful. First they moved to Wolcott, Prospect, and such, next they chose Watertown, and beyond. Many Italians have stayed in the city, and not too many new Italians have been moving into the City of Neighborhoods. For these reasons, the Italians, by populous, are dwindling.
More lately, Waterbury has been becoming more Spanish; more precisely, Hispanic. Specifically, it’s the isle of Puerto Rico that has contributed to the huge shift in population. In fact, the Puerto Ricans represent about 75% of the Hispanic population. Still, about 32,000 people of the Time Capital of the Nation indicate Puerto Rico as their nation of descendancy, at a 50% or higher concentration.
Next in line in populous are the people of Black and African Black ancestry. They number just shy of 22,000 of the Fastener Capitol’s residents.
Inconsistent with the above, is the measure of languages spoken. Right now, about 63% of the peoples of Waterbury speak English, at least as their primary language. That number is disappointingly low, although not shocking considering the fact that Waterbury has not only always been a diverse City of Neighborhoods, but we also have dozens of ethnicities here which are represented in fairly large numbers.
Despite that the Italians far out-number any other ethnicity, the language spoken next most commonly is Spanish (specifically, mostly, the Puerto Rican dialect). Spanish is spoken as the primarily language among about 27% of residents in our great city.
All other languages that are spoken as the primary language pale by comparison to English and Spanish. Still, about 2,300 people here speak, as their primary language, either Italian or Portuguese, or some form of Indo-European. Surprisingly, over 1,000 of us primarily speak African.
The melting-pot diversity of Waterbury seems to be a tradition which will continue for the foreseeable future. About 19,000 people in our City of Neighborhoods were born outside of the United States of American. Also, recent events in Afghanistan, Ukraine, and the Mexican border are likely to fuel continued flavoring of our proud peoples.
The accuracy of reporting is also likely to unskew our numbers as well. The United States Census Bureau has taken steps to collect data more accurately by asking better questions. However, the Bureau still poses leading questions and denies the possibility of accurate reporting for some people, by disallowing various answers or input. For instance, the term “Latin” is first undefined, secondly over-used, and thirdly is only a trendy numeration with no basis in genealogy, heritage, nationality, nor culture. Also, it is irrelevant since it crosses dozens of ethnicities and scores of heritages and all income levels.
In summary, the great City of Waterbury, City of Neighborhoods, Brass Capitol of the World, Time Capitol of Nation, Fastener Capitol of America – whatever your preference – has been ethnically, culturally, linguistically, and spiritually diverse for over a century, and, like the brass that built its reputation, this sense and instinct of neighborly inclusion is likely to be longer-lasting than any of us may have previously imagined.
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