A New Yorker in “Little Syria” tells his story

WWI, New York City — Little Armenia on Lexington Avenue and Little Syria
"The late 19th century city was home to a massive tide of new immigrants: Russian, Italian, Hungarian, Chinese. Amid the lower Manhattan neighborhoods these newcomers settled in was Little Syria. Also known as the Syrian Quarter, it was a vibrant enclave along Washington Street near the Battery where thousands of Syrian Christians, Armenians, Greeks, and others from Middle Eastern and Mediterranean communities lived. Here, they resided in tenements and operated dry goods stores, textile factories, and cafes selling pastries and coffee. The following account of arriving in Little Syria and making a home in the neighborhood comes from a 1906 book about the immigrant experience. ..."
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