Stairwell

At the turn of the 20th century, European immigration to the United States was at its peak. New York City (Ellis Island) was the main port of entry into the US at this time, and therefore was incredibly congested. In an effort to divert some of that traffic away from NYC, the federal government asked steamship lines to choose ancillary ports to base their operations. The Compagnie Française de Navigation à Vapeur, also known as The Fabre Line, chose Providence. Providence had recently made major improvements to its harbor and was experiencing a rebirth of enthusiasm for maritime commerce, which made the port particularly attractive to the Fabre Line. Additionally, Providence already hosted thriving Italian and Portuguese communities, which meant that the city offered a pre established market for a number of goods already carried by the Fabre Line.

In 1913 Providence built a new pier, State Pier Number 1, and agreed on a contract allocating preferential use of the wharf to the Fabre Line. Rhode Island’s first Franco-American governor, Aram J Pothier of Woonsocket, presided over the ceremonies dedicating the pier in May of 1914. 

Restrictions on immigration in the 1920s that targeted Italians, Portuguese, and other Southern Europeans, dealt a blow to the Fabre Line. In 1923, however, the Fabre Line began to transport immigrants from the Mediterranean, many of whom were seeking escape from persecution, such as Jews from numerous countries, Christians from Syria and Lebanon, Armenians from Turkey, Greeks, and Ukranians and Romanians. The economic downturn of the Great Depression eventually led to the Fabre Line going out of business in 1934.

Over the course of its twenty-three year history in Providence, the Fabre Line brought nearly eighty four thousand immigrants to the city. Almost one in nine of those elected to settle in Providence, which amounted to around eleven thousand new residents. The majority of immigrants carried on the Fabre Line were of Italian or Portuguese descent. The Italians founded communities in Providence’s Federal Hill, Silver Lake and North End sections while the Portuguese settled in Fox Point or continued further on to Fall River and New Bedford, MA. These communities continue to be prominent in the Providence area to this day. 

Portuguese had already been immigrating to the United States (specifically New England) for over a century at this point in time. Portuguese Jews escaping persecution (and hoping to make their fortunes) had settled in Newport in the 18th century. Many Portuguese immigrants also came from the Azores and Cape Verde as sailors and whalers during the late 1700s and 1800s, hoping to escape poverty. 

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Portuguese immigrants came to work in New England textile mills, settling in places like Providence, Bristol, Pawtucket, New Bedford, and Gloucester. They were also employed in the whaling, fishing, and garment industries in the region. These immigrants were largely Roman Catholic and continued to practice and maintain their traditions after moving to the United States, passing down festivals to future generations. However, Portuguese immigration was largely ended by the Immigration Act of 1917, which instituted a literacy test for incoming Europeans, as well as the Immigration Act of 1924, which finalized restrictive quotas.

Following the Civil War, New England’s factories began looking for workers whom they could pay less than American-born workers, and turned to Italy. Following the unification of Italy in 1860, Italy experienced massive increases in population as well as political and economic upheaval that left many families poor and hungry. Between 1880 and 1920, roughly 4 million Italians, largely from the southern part of the country, came to the United States, either looking to build new lives or simply to send money back home to their families. 

Largely unable to read or write, Italian immigrants during this time took jobs in construction and clothing manufacturing, and formed “Little Italy” communities in cities like Providence, Worcester, and Bridgeport, where they could continue to speak their language. Following World War I, immigration patterns from Italy changed. More families arrived together rather than sole breadwinners. From 1898 to 1932, 54,973 Italians came to Providence through the Fabre Line, joining communities that were thriving. Italians were subject to prejudice and discrimination in the United States, and following the increase in Italian immigration after World War I, migration was curtailed due to the Emergency Quota Act of 1921 and the Immigration Act of 1924.