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America has been described as the "land of immigrants," the "melting pot," and the "refuge of the oppressed." Revisionist historians quarrel with these terms but they do agree that the ethnic experience has left its mark upon America.
The story of immigration is a continuing story which begins with the arrival of the first ship load of immigrants in the seventeenth century and continues with the arrival of refugees from Southeast Asia. There were a variety of motives which drew them to America, but the one they all had in common was opportunity.
Pennsylvania attracted more immigrants than any other state except New York. In 1790, 15 percent of the state's population were foreign born. Beaver County attracted a good many of these foreign born who were drawn by the County's fertile valleys and the economic and transportation potential of living along the Ohio River and its many tributaries.
The ethnic experience and the history of Beaver County (the history of any county or country is the history of its people) begins in the second half of the 18th century when the Scotch-Irish began to move across the mountains in search of land. The end of the Revolution saw the beginning of the growth of Western Pennsylvania, especially Beaver County.
When the County was organized in 1800 there were 5,776 people, most of whom were Scotch-Irish. Henry Hire, in a centennial address in 1900, described the Scotch-Irish as a "strong, sturdy, and courageous, possessed of brawn and brain..."
Before 1900 the population of Beaver County was comprised essentially of three ethnic groups; the ScotchIrish, Germans, and English. The demands created by late 19th century industry expansion, however, began to draw more and more European laborers from southern and eastern Europe. Vast numbers of Poles, Ukrainians, Slovaks, Croats, and Italians were drawn to these industrial centers. The growing industrial demands and curtailment of European immigration by World War 1, saw the Afro-American moving to the northern states.
The ethnic heritage of Beaver County is still evident in the 1970's. According to the U. S. Census of 1970 there were 48,548 persons of ethnic origin in the County. This is 23.3 percent of the total population of 208,418. Only eight counties in Pennsylvania have a larger ethnic based population.
The customs of these groups are kept alive in the County through special events and observances. The Italians celebrate St. Rocco Day with a procession and festival in Aliquippa. Over in Ambridge, residents observe "Nationality Days," where the various ethnic groups display their foods, handicrafts in booths and perform the music and dances of their nationality. The theme of the annual Historian Symposium, of the Historical Research and Landmarks Foundation, this Fall will show the varied ethnic background of the people of Beaver County.