Portrait of Spiro Pittu

**The Society Farsharotu reprints this from the Romanian Heritage Bulletin for historical purposes only.  This profile was part of their Portraits of Macedo-Romanian Immigrants series.

SPIRO PITTU

From existing records, Spiro Pittu was the first and the most well known person person of Macedo-Romanian origin in Bridgeport, Connecticut.  Born in 1880, he came to the United States in 1901.  Pittu’s family owned a large dairy farm near Korce in what is now Albania.

Upon his arrival in Bridgeport, Spiro Pittu went to work in a bakery.  Five years later, with his younger brother Thomas who arrived in 1906, he opened a restaurant at Hancock and Railroad Ave. in the West End that became the first center of the Macedo-Romanian community in that area.

Spiro Pittu was a natural leader and members of the early Macedo-Romanian community brought their problems to him. He advised and helped them on such matters as bringing their families from the old country, going before the local courts, getting their American citizenship, and even on family and marital problems, old timers in the community said.

The Pittu Restaurant symbolized America to many of the Macedo-Romanian in the old country.  It was the only address many of them had in the United States, and they would often send letters to the restaurant in the hope of contacting spouses or relatives who had moved to Bridgeport or other parts of the United States.

Spiro Pittu went back to Macedonian in 1909 to marry, and with his wife Cleopatra, he returned to Bridgeport.   Cleopatra, who bore him a daughter, died at an early age.  Later, he married the former Domenica Ticuli, who came from the same area as his first wife.

Spiro and Thomas Pittu were among he 24 founders of St. Dimitrie Romanian Orthodox Church in Bridgeport.  Spiro became the second president of the church council and served eight separate one year terms in the period between 1926 and 1938.

The Pittu’s closed their restaurant in 1945.  Spiro Pittu died on March 14, 1971 at the age of 90.

Spiro and Domenica Pittu had five children:

Dennis, who worked for the Roxy Restaurant in Black Rock until her retired.  Active in sports, he is a member  of the Bridgeport Old Timers Athletic Association.  He married the former Dorothy Nelson, they have 3 children.

Another son, Vasil Pittu, is a former Bridgeport sports star.

Daughter Eleanor Zingo has two children, while daughter Veronica is married to Vasil Atanese, a printer.  They have 3 children.

Julia Pittu is married to George Cipu of Trumbull, CT, who is in the television repair business.  They have 3 children.

Thomas Pittu,  Spiro’s younger brother, after the restaurant closed, went to work for Bryant Electric and Casco Products until his retirement.  He died in 1967.

In 1916, Thomas Pittu married the former Rincea Fatsi, who bore him five children: James Pittu of Fairfield, a Post Publishing compositor, who married the former Margaret Dimitrescu. They have two children.  Victoria Pittu is married to William Chanaca of Fairfield, a retired member of the Apex Tool Co.  They have two children.

Miss Florence Pittu of Bridgeport is a secretary at the Juvenile Court, while the former Sophie Pittu us married to John Reimer of the Bridgeport Park Department. The former Virginia Pittu is married to Theodore Cook of the Seaside Grocery, and they have four children.  Mrs. Cook has been a member of the St. Dimitrie church choir since its founding in 1946.