These are wearable photo pins I have of my Maternal Grandparents who both were Lithuanian immigrants. From what I know my Grandmother arrived from Kaunus in 1909 at age 16 along with two older sisters. I was told her sisters married here and moved back to Lithuania shortly thereafter, leaving her here alone.

My Grandfather arrived about the same time and had two sisters here as well. 
My Grandparents were married here in the US.They originally lived in Brooklyn, New York and Myrtle Avenue was often mentioned by family, as was the lower East Side.  I know my Mother was born in their home in the West 60s of Manhattan, so they inevitably moved around but permanently settled in Great Neck, LI in the 1920s buying a house and land there.

The Lithuanian community was very tightly knIt in Brooklyn, Queens (Maspeth) and Nassau Co.
Being Roman Catholic two churches were very important in the community, St. Aloysius in Great Neck and Transfiguration in Maspeth. My mother was baptized at Our Lady of Vilnius in lower Manhattan, but it no longer exists.

Food was also very important along with family gatherings and celebrations; Lithuanian dishes prevailed- potato based dishes, sausage, pork, cabbage, cucumber, onions, mushrooms (foraged), sour cream & beer .

Baltic amber is very important in Lithuanian culture and this pin was sent in the 1960s from one of my mother's cousins, who descended from my Grandmother's sister who returned back. 

In 2013 I was fortunate to visit Lithuania, with pride, over 100yrs. since they arrived in the US, and seeing it as an independent nation again!

– Tom Brutting

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant