19th cent Italian opera singer (soprano)became famous in capitals of Europe and America
Enrico Caruso
famous Italian tenor opera singerbecame famous in Europe, North & South America
Mayor Angelo Rossi
first mayor of 100% Italian descent of a major US city(1931-1944)
Amadeo Giannini
Italian American, founder of Bank of America, started in produce businessloaned $ to imms when other bankers refused, nat'l system of branch banks that served ordinary people
Baldarsare Forestiere "The Human Mole" (Fresno's Underground Gardens)
Sicilian imm to US in 1902, worked on NY subway system, moved to Fresno & bought 700 acres of landdug out huge underground tunnels, rooms, lived underground
Simon Rodia
IT AM who created the Watts Towers (LA landmark) out of everyday items*monument to vernacular culture
Domenico Ghirardelli
born in Italy, moved originally to C. America then to CA in 1849SF's most successful chocolatier