COMMUNITY & CULTURE
MEET ME IN…
The Hill
B y T r i s h M u y c o - To b i n
C
iao! There is no other place in St. Louis that’s more
Italian than The Hill.
From the emblematic red, white and green fire
hydrants to the most concentrated cluster of honest-
to-goodness Italian eateries, bakeries and grocers
within its 620 acres, the neighborhood is a popular destination for
locals and tourists alike.
The neighborhood’s beginnings can be traced back to the early
1900s, when St. Louis’ expanding Italian immigrant population
outgrew an area downtown known as Little Italy, and set their sights
- quite literally - on higher ground just southwest of the city center. By
mid-century, most Italians had moved to The Hill, making it the center
of Italian-American culture in St. Louis.
Today, The Hill’s distinct character is reflected throughout the
rows of tidy shotgun-style homes and colorful storefronts, anchored
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by St. Ambrose, an imposing Romanesque church that serves the
neighborhood’s predominantly Catholic residents.
October is National Italian American Heritage Month, and festivities
on The Hill kick off Oct. 1 with Ciao St. Louis’ Festa Italiana and
Columbus Day Parade, with 2017 marking the 150th anniversary of the
parade in St. Louis. The celebration continues at Berra Park, named
after one of The Hill’s favorite sons, the larger-than-life sports legend
Yogi Berra.
If you’ve been to the parade before, you’ll notice a few changes - all
positive. For starters, there will be food trucks and live music along the
parade route, including a performance by popular local crooner Tony
Viviano. In addition, eateries like Gioia’s Deli and Amighetti’s that
usually close on Sundays will be open for business, according to Rio
Vitale, president of Ciao St. Louis, organizers of this year’s event.