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Lt. Petrosino Square. Honoring the NYPD.  By Paul Goldfinger   Click on the image to appreciate the flavor of this location southeast of Greenwich Village.

Internet photo

By Paul Goldfinger,  Editor@Blogfinger.net

Lt. Joseph Petrosino was born in Italy in 1860. He later came to the US and became a NYC police officer who specialized in Mafia style gangs in lower Manhattan.  He became famous fighting the infamous “Black Hand.”

Petrosino died at age 49, in 1909,  while on an undercover mission in Sicily. He is the only NYC officer who was killed in the line of duty outside the country.  Mayor Koch renamed this little park for him in 1987. It is located at the crossroads of Little Italy, Chinatown, the Bowery and Soho.

Of course that neighborhood had all sorts of immigrant ethnic groups, and they learned to “adjust” to each other. They could not avoid finding out about each others’ politics, foods, customs and values. One group that was in large supply was the Irish.  Here is a song that comes out of that era:

ANN DEE:  From Thoroughly Modern Millie

Paul Goldfinger photo. Chinatown.

And don’t forget this song which makes a reference to Chinatown which is in that neighborhood.      Bobby Short performs “Manhattan” and in it he sings”..and tell me what street compares with Mott Street in July..”

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