Kalivas/Union is a neighborhood located between the Downtown and Hallsville neighborhoods. Kalivas/Union is bordered by Manchester Street to the north, Wilson and Maple Streets to the east, Cilley Road to the south, and Willow, Chestnut and Pine Streets to the west. This densely populated neighborhood includes much of Union and Valley Streets.
In the 1850s, poverty and depleted farmlands forced many Irish to seek new homes. Many settled in what is now Kalivas Park. These settlers founded St. Anne’s Parish in Corey Square in 1871 in an effort to preserve their culture, language, and religion. As the City’s first French-Speaking Catholic Church, it was also known as St. Augustin Parish. Later, Greek immigrants made the park their “Mesochori” or village square. Today, the Kalivas/Union neighborhood is a largely residential neighborhood. Kalivas Park is dedicated to the memory of Christos N. Kalivas, the first Greek-American from Manchester to be killed in action during World War I. The area also included “Rye Field” where local fairs were once held.
SOURCE: Manchester Historic Association