EXAMINING PATTERNS OF ITALIAN IMMIGRATION TO ...

Almost nothing is known about La Democrazia Italiana. It was published in
Calumet and lasted a little more than a month, but it is not known when and by whom it was
edited.
Italians also formed a dramatic group in Calumet which was particularly active
around 1910, the Italian Hall Dramatic Group. A similar group existed in South Range,
which offered puppet shows.
5.3 Religious organizations
Italian immigrants were mostly, if not totally, Catholics. In Houghton County they
founded a church, St. Mary’s Church in Calumet in 1897. It served the community until
1966 when it was consolidated with other catholic churches because of the decline in the
population. According to some Italian descendants interviewed by Professor Magnaghi, in
Calumet there was always an Italian priest. 70 The censuses also indicate at least one Italian
priest each year.
As far as Adams Township, some Italian descendants remember going to church at
St. Mary Star of the Sea in Atlantic for many years before the Holy Family Church was built
in South Range. These were not Italian churches however, nor did they have Italian priests. 71
5.4 Business enterprises
The Italian Mutual Fire Insurance Company was organized in Laurium in 1898.
Michael Richetta was the founder. At first its aim was to help Italians, but through the years
the company got bigger and became an insurance company for everybody. In 2000 it was
still in business, although with a different name, Great Lakes Mutual Fire Insurance
Company (see Figure XXXVI).
In 1910 a group of Italian entrepreneurs from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
formed the Italian Businessmen Association. They intended to secure the cooperation
among Italian businessmen throughout the Copper Country by promoting moral and
70 Magnaghi, M. Russell. Interview with Giovanna Cappo. Baltic, Michigan, 03-16-1982.
71 Ibidem.
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