Polish Community in Salem

The Polish Community of Salem

"Refugees from Poland first came to Salem in the 1880s when the former maritime port became a leading industrial center. These immigrants often arrived with little more than the clothes on their backs and worked some of the most dangerous factory jobs. However, despite limited knowledge of the English language and American customs, they persevered to improve their lives and the lives of their children" according to the book, the Polish Community of Salem.

Many of the Polish immigrants found work in the thriving textile industry in Salem and found work at the Pequot Mills.

In 1976, The Historic Derby Street Neighborhood was designated a National Historic District due in large part to the hard work of neighborhood residents, led by sisters Alice and Dolores Jordan.

In the early 20th century, Salem's Historic Derby Street Neighborhood was predominantly Polish. Attracted to job opportunities in the city’s mills and factories, Polish immigrants began arriving in Salem around 1890 and by 1911, Poles comprised about 8% of the city’s overall population.

For more information read these entries on this wiki: St. Joseph Society, St. John the Baptist Church, Thaddeus Buczko and Pequot Mills.

See Also

• Vertical File in Salem Collection - Immigrants to Salem (ethnic backgrounds & occupation trends)

• Polish Community of Salem F. Wilczenski, E. Murphy

• Polish Community in Salem "History by the Sea" blog

• In the Heart of Polish Salem: an ethnohistorical study of St. Joseph Hall and its neighborhood C. Stanton.

• Derby Street Historic District Preserving Salem