Long Description

Baldassare Forestiere, a Sicilian immigrant, came to America in 1901 to pursue his dreams of becoming a citrus farmer. In Fresno, California, Forestiere crafted a subterranean complex of patios, grottoes & garden courts, all featuring arches & stonework using the local hardpan sedimentary rock. He became a self-taught artist, & patterned his underground world after the ancient catacombs he admired as a boy, near his home town of Filari, Sicily. No plans were put on paper; each room & passageway was created in Forestiere’s mind as he worked. With simple farm tools (a pick, a shovel & a wheelbarrow) the young immigrant dug, chipped, and carved the unforgiving hardpan for 40 years, all in his spare time! By the time he was 44 years old, he had excavated & planted over 10 acres. Check Out Our Website Here!