Philadelphia Inquirer Item About The Burg (from 1984)

PHILLY INQUIRER 1984 ARTICLE ABOUT THE BURG...MID NEIGHBORHOODS OF TRENTON , A LITTLE BIT OF ITALY THRIVES
Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA) - Sunday, April 29, 1984
Author: Carolyn Belardo, United Press International
So you think Trenton is just government offices, a few historic buildings and a lot of run-down houses.

Look again. Nestled among the capital city's neighborhoods lies Chambersburg , a 100-block enclave with a 2.6-mile perimeter where the traditions of Italy live and breathe through the young and old who live there.
Chambers and Liberty Streets and Hamilton Avenue serve as its arbitrary borders.

Neat houses stand in orderly rows, some with artificial flowers in the
windows, others with religious objects peering through curtains. Two Catholic churches serve the neighborhood and are within easy walking distance to serve the predominantly Catholic residents.

Grocery stores stock imported pasta, olive oil, dried figs and Genoa salami. Bakeries - and there are at least half a dozen - abound with cannoli and freshly baked bread.

And what would an Italian neighborhood be without restaurants? No fewer than 25 eateries are situated to serve residents and tourists alike. Moderately priced family restaurants, more expensive places and the common pizza restaurants all are there.

Italians in Trenton were profiled in a documentary titled The Burg: A State of Mind, which was made by a Chambersburg native and shown last summer at the Festival of American Folk Life in Washington.

Many major cities in the nation have similar neighborhoods where Italians have chosen to settle. Boston has its North End, New York its Little Italy and, of course, Philadelphia has its South Philadelphia.

But Trenton 's Italian settlement is different. It has an Old-World charm undisturbed by tourists traipsing through its streets. Part of the reason may be because the city does not promote Chambersburg as a tourist attraction. Chambersburg , commonly known as "The Burg," is not listed among the ''don't-miss" sites of Trenton in literature describing the city.

Many of its restaurants, though, are listed in a "Guide to Trenton " prepared, in part, by Betty Holland, wife of Mayor Arthur Holland. "The Burg advertises itself," the mayor said.

But Peter Peroni, author of the documentary on Chambersburg and also of a book titled The Burg: An Italian-American Community at Bay in Trenton , disagreed. "I think it would be a real tourist attraction," said Peroni, a professor at Bucks County Community College in Newtown, Pa. "Maybe they don't want a lot of outsiders coming in. The sense of community is very high."

Peter Rossi, Trenton 's coordinator of special events and a lifelong resident of The Burg, has lived in the same house for 28 years. He bought it for $10,000 and says he could easily get $35,000 for it now. "It's a nice area," Rossi said of his neighborhood. "You may not see a lot of grass plots or driveways. But when you go into the homes . . . they're all fixed up."

Chambersburg was formed when Italians, many from Cassandrino, a town outside Naples, emigrated to the United States at the turn of the century. Many came to Trenton to work for John A. Roebling's Sons wire factory or at one of the potteries. The Borough of Chambersburg officially became part of Trenton on March 30, 1888.

How long The Burg will continue to exist as it does today remains to be seen. Border streets once dominated by Italians are now mostly occupied by Hispanics. "In the next 10 years, you will see significant changes. Chambersburg will be smaller," Peroni said.

But the mayor disagreed. "There was a trend until recently toward the suburbs," Holland said. "A few years ago, I would have said The Burg would be gone. But now I'd say no."