Green Island is a neighborhood in Worcester with a rich history of immigration and community-building. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe, particularly from Ireland, Poland, and Lithuania, settled in the area.
Irish immigrants were among the first to arrive on Green Island, and by the mid-1800s, they had established a community centered around St. John’s Catholic Church on Temple Street. Many Irish immigrants first came to work on the Blackstone Canal. Later they found work in the city’s mills and factories, especially in the textile industry, such as Crompton Loom Works. They also played a significant role in the city’s political and social life.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe, particularly from Poland, and Lithuania, settled in the area. In the early 1900s, Polish immigrants arrived in Green Island and established a strong community centered around Our Lady of Czestochowa Church (commonly referred to as “St. Mary’s”). Like the Irish community, many Polish immigrants worked in the city’s factories and mills, particularly in the wire industry. They also established a number of businesses in the area, including bakeries, grocery stores, and bars. For example, the area had a pharmacy called Vernon Drug Company on Lafayette Street, which was built by the first registered pharmacist of Polish origin, Joseph P. Buyniski. There was also a family-run restaurant called Charles Restaurant located on Lafayette Street. Its proprietor Charles Paul Sharameta was also Polish and served “old world delicacies” his local community craved, as well as hot filling meals local factory workers could afford. “Beef stew cost 10 cents…and a full ham and egg meal—all you could eat…20 cents” (Laurie 31).
[Postcards of Our Lady of Czestochowa Church, photographed by Barbara Proko]
In the early 1900s, Lithuanian immigrants settled in Green Island, also attracted by the city’s factories and mills. They established their own cultural institutions, including the Lithuanian National Catholic Church of St. Casimir on Providence Street. The Lithuanian community also founded organizations such as the Lithuanian-American Citizens Club and Athletic Club. Many Lithuanians worked in the wire and machinery industries, such as Norton Company, located on Washburn Street, one of the largest employers in the area. Despite facing discrimination and hardship, the Lithuanian community maintained a strong sense of community, but it declined after World War II (Global true Lithuania encyclopedia of Lithuanian Heritage Worldwide). St. Casimir still stands and is now a Pentecostal church.
During the mid-20th century, a significant number of immigrants from Puerto Rico and other parts of Latin America settled in Green Island, attracted by employment opportunities in the plastics industry. These immigrants established their own community organizations and cultural centers, such as the Spanish American Center, which continues to serve the large Latino community in Worcester today. The Spanish American Center offers a variety of services, including language classes, job training, health education, and legal assistance, to help support and empower the Latino community. Specific plastics industries that employed these immigrants include Nypro, Polyvinyl Films, Unifrax Corporation, Reed & Prince Manufacturing Corporation, and Worcester Envelope Company.
In addition, Green Island also became home to a significant number of Vietnamese immigrants in the late 20th century. Many Vietnamese refugees arrived in Worcester in the wake of the Vietnam War, seeking safety and opportunity in the United States. They settled primarily in the Main South and Green Island neighborhoods, where they established their own community centers and organizations. One of the most notable Vietnamese organizations serving the larger Vietnamese community is the Vietnamese-American Civic Association (VACA), which was founded in 1982. VACA provides a range of services including language classes, job training, and cultural events. Like the other immigrant communities in Green Island, the Vietnamese community has played an important role in shaping the neighborhood’s identity and culture. The popular Vietnamese Cuisine on Kelley Square is known for its Phở, a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup.
A vibrant Vietnamese Catholic community is now centered at our
Lady of Vilna Church on Sterling St.
Today, Green Island stands as a testament to the transformative power of immigration and the enduring spirit of its diverse community. As a newcomer to Worcester from South Korea, I am deeply appreciative of the rich immigrant history that defines Green Island. Without the courageous settlers who made this neighborhood their home, Green Island would have lacked the vibrant cultural tapestry it proudly boasts today. The immigrant presence here, both historic and continuing, fills me with admiration and respect. It is a constant reminder of the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions that immigrants bring to not just Green Island, but to every community fortunate enough to embrace them. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this remarkable neighborhood and witness firsthand the remarkable legacy of its immigrant residents.