They came to the Tri-Cities for a better life. 100 years later, they’re still going strong

When the Pardini brothers came to Richland in 1919, they had no idea they were laying the foundation for 100 years of family history.

The Pardini family is now celebrating Fred and Emanuele Pardini’s immigration to the United States from Italy more than a century ago and their eventual move to the Tri-Cities.

The Pardinis were farmers and sheepherders in Vibbiana, a small town in Northern Tuscany. Since they were tenant farmers — meaning they didn’t own the land they farmed — they couldn’t keep all of what they produced, and the family struggled to scrape by.

“They had to give (the landlords) the best of everything, so it didn’t leave much,” said Emanuele’s son Manuel Pardini. “We came over here; it was a better life.”

Fred Pardini immigrated to the states in the early 1900s and found work at the coal mine in Black Diamond, Washington. When he realized jobs were available, he sent word back to his family in Italy.

With Fred’s help, they gradually began moving to Black Diamond too, including his brother Emanuele.

Fred and Emanuele worked in the mine for six years before moving to Richland in 1919 to become farmers.

They bought land at what is referred to as the Richland Wye, which lies within the east city limits near Columbia Park Trail and Highway 240. Their property extended from Leslie Road to Island View.

“All that land belonged to them. Where the freeway went through all belonged to my grandparents,” said Gwen Pardini, Fred’s granddaughter.

They grew vegetables and raised 4,000 turkeys on their farm. From their vineyards, they sold grapes to wineries in Seattle.

They did well for themselves, Manuel said, and they worked hard.

Extended family here

He estimated that there are almost 70 descendants of Fred and Emanuele Pardini living in the Tri-Cities. He said they like the area so much that family members almost never leave.

“They like the togetherness of the family — being able to do things with each other,” Manuel said.

The family will celebrate that togetherness with a family picnic in Howard Amon Park on Saturday to commemorate 100 years in the Tri-Cities community.

Big, happy family

Manuel still carries on some of that early Pardini farming tradition, growing his own grapes, some of which are from the same cuttings his father grew in the Richland Wye.

And occasionally, everyone gets together to make sausages using their recipe from the old country.

Many family members have visited where their ancestors lived in Vivviana, and many say they are going back next spring.

“We still do things like the old-timers did,” Manuel said. “I like to keep traditions going.”

This story was originally published July 5, 2019 at 4:52 PM.