Old Identity, New Land: The Welsh Immigrant Community in Monroe County, Iowa, 1870–1920

Abstract This article identifies the Welsh as a distinct ethno‐linguistic community in Monroe County, Iowa (USA), at the end of the nineteenth century. It analyses the nature of that community, assesses the extent of involvement in its cultural expression, considers culture maintenance, and suggests that while ethnic integrity was initially maintained, it was ultimately undermined, not only by the general forces of acculturation, but also by specifically Welsh factors. While the Welsh experience in the county differed sharply from the experiences of other nationalities from the United Kingdom, it did not simply mirror that of other non‐Anglophone groups.