Tag Archives: Pietrabbondante

Alexander Capraro – Recognition Ceremony

4 Nov

125 years ago, in 1899, my great grandparents, Emerenziana Vitullo, a seamstress, and Vincenzo Iacapraro, a cobbler, said goodbye to their Pietrabbondante home to begin their long and challenging journey to Chicago. They would travel with their two small children, my grandfather Alexander, aged four, and his two-year-old sister, Fortunata. We will never know what led to this decision, but we do know the impact this decision had on the life of their eldest son, Alexander. 

Alex Capraro, as he became known in Chicago, was a determined student who quickly learned to speak, read and write perfect English. At the young age of 21, he passed the architectural exam and became the first licensed Italian-American architect in the state of Illinois. And so began his incredible career.

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

On Sunday, September 14, 2024, Len and I were honored to be guests of the Pietrabbondante community as they recognized the achievements of Alexander Capraro, American architect, native son of Pietrabbondante.

After breakfast in my ancestor’s home, Rinella, the lady of the house, guided me to the primary bedroom balcony to see the preparations happening below. 

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A bit later, Rinella and her sister, Rosaria, emerged from the house –  as proud as can be. 

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I followed, and was quickly introduced to the mayor of Pietrabbondante, Prof. Claudino Casciano.

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The local banner was proudly displayed and posters announced the location, time, and speakers.

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The event was to be followed by an aperitivo buffet, to which all were invited.

In addition to the mayor, the speakers included heads of various architectural foundations and associations; professors/researchers of architecture; and yours truly. 

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As mentioned before, there are about 200 full time residents, and it seemed that most of them had joined the celebration.

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The event was called to order by Mariella, the very efficient person responsible for organizing the gathering.

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She thanked those present and then the Italian national anthem was played and proudly sung by all. Most unexpectedly for me, however, was that it was followed by the Star-Spangled Banner. Truly, I felt as if I had won an Olympic gold medal! My emotions and tears were proof.

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The impressive group of speakers highlighted some of Alex’s significant commissions:

Main Navy Buildings in Washington DC, 1918:

The Italian Pavilion, 1933, Century of Progress, International Exhibition; 

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Casa Bonita, opened 1920’s, annually featured in Open House Chicago.

©blogginginitaly.com  Aunt Marion, Alex’s daughter by M. Mattucci

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©blogginginitaly.com   indoor pool

©blogginginitaly.com detail by M. Mattucci

Then it was my turn to speak (in Italian, of course!) I knew others would highlight Alex’s accomplishments; what I wanted to do was share a bit of his personal life.

When Alex met the love of his life, my grandmother Modesta Rose, (Maude), her mother said he was too skinny to date! But she did date and marry him in 1920, and they shared an incredible life together for 36 years. 

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They had two sons, one daughter, and eventually 10 grandchildren. ©blogginginitaly.com (Grandpa is left of grands; author is center child)

My grandparents were full of life; they loved each other and their family deeply. And how they loved to dance!

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Their lives were busy – whether working, traveling by car with their children, entertaining, or being involved in the community. Most of all, however, they loved when family gathered around their large dining room table for delicious dinners prepared by Maude. Although I was only five when Alex left us, I vividly remember sitting at that big table and seeing his warm smile. 

On August 20, 1938, Alexander Capraro reached the very spot where we were gathered in Pietrabbondante. He was 43. It would be his first and only visit since he emigrated at age four. That night, he wrote the following to Maude:

Honey, I got the real kick of the whole trip today when I reached my hometown and saw the house and the actual room of my birth. Today I met several aunts, cousins, and many relatives. They cried with joy and they never stopped feasting their eyes on the boy from America. In a few minutes, word spread that I was there and the whole town seemed to come around to see the native son from America.

There was more to my speech, but I ended with the following:

Alexander Capraro was a wonderful man, full of love, life and talent. But he was also a humble man, never loud, never bragging, always sharing his talents through his work, and sharing his time and advice when asked. If he were here today, he would be so appreciative and humbled by this incredible recognition and outpouring of affection. 

And then it was time for the unveiling:

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The blessing:

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And the reading of the plaque (below in English):

IN THIS HOUSE WAS BORN 
ALESSANDRO V. CAPRARO
BORN IACAPRARO
HIS ARCHITECTURE ENCHANTED CHICAGO

PIETRABBONDANTE   7 JANUARY 1895
CHICAGO   1 NOVEMBER 1956
MUNICIPALITY of PIETRABBONDANTE 9/15/2024

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Afterwards, I received a statue from the mayor symbolizing the town’s ancient history:

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RAI news was there to document the event, 

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which we later watched on the evening news! They included my interview, and more importantly, the interviews of two people whose research brought this story to life, Architect Francesco Lastoria 

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and Prof. Arch Lucia Krasovec-Lucas.

With the ceremony over, it was time for celebration, and celebrate we did. The buffet, which no one would touch until Len and I started, was incredible and very generous.

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And finally it was their turn to join.

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Of course, the ceremonial Prosecco needed to be popped, and I was asked to do the honors.

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People waited patiently to introduce themselves and shake our hands. To me, it was their personal acknowledgement of the native boy who had left home and pursued his dreams, yet he would always belong to this place. 

I began to understand how my grandfather felt…the whole town seemed to come around to see the native son {now granddaughter} from America.

We too now belong to the Pietrabbondante family. 

This has truly been an overwhelming experience for me –  research that has taken years with an ending I could never have imagined.  

I am forever grateful to so many including: 

-The entire community and administration of Pietrabbondante
-The speakers who shared their time and perspectives
-The family who has cherished/cared for my ancestors’ house and embraced us as family
-Aunt Marion, who kept my grandfather’s papers and entrusted them to me
-Lucia, for her past and ongoing research
-Francesco who discovered my posts about Alex 10 years ago and was determined to have him recognized
-Len, for taking this journey with me
-Alex, my grandfather, for his courage, determination, and love of life, as well as for being an incredible role model of a life well- lived.

To Alex, thank you!

©blogginginitaly.com

Ciao,
Judy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Pietrabbondante: My Extended Family

3 Oct

In 2014,  Len and I visited Pietrabbondante, the birthplace of my paternal ancestors. Although we didn’t meet any relatives or locals, we thought we had found my grandfather’s birth home and were satisfied to add another check to our “Visit Ancestral Hometowns” list. 

In late 2017, however, I received a very unexpected message (in Italian but translated here):

I am Francesco, an Architect from Pietrabbondante, and it is an honor for me to have been born in the same town as the illustrious Alessandro Capraro. I am researching all his works and it is my intention to have a street named after him in the town that gave him his birthplace. If you have any news, please respond to me. 

And so I did, and that response led to the beginning of a new and wonderful friendship. For much of the next year, Francesco and I talked, exchanged information, and finally met in Cortona in the fall of 2018.

Meet Francesco, the dedicated architect who never gave up on his goal to recognize the works of a fellow native architect, and the reason we were in Pietrabbondante last month to recognize Alessandro Capraro, my grandfather.

Bravo, ben fatto, Francesco, e grazie mille!

©blogginginitaly.com

While the next post will be filled with pictures and stories from the ceremony, I first wanted to introduce you to some wonderful people, my new extended family of Pietrabbondante.

Because of Francesco’s research, we were able to meet the people who were raised in and still own/occupy my ancestors’ home. Not only did their grandfather purchase the home from my great-grandfather, they have kept the home virtually intact, furniture and all. 

©blogginginitaly.com (From left, Roberto, Rinella, Judy, Len, Rosaria and Francesco)

Rinella is now the lady of the house and her sister and brother came from northern Italy to be with us. And here’s a truly incredible gift – Rinella insisted that Len and I stay in the primary bedroom, the bedroom that had been occupied by my great grandparents and the birth bedroom of my grandfather in 1895! 

The house is so interesting it warrants a post of its own, which will be the fifth in this series. For now, a bit more on the people.

As part of Francesco’s effort to bring more attention to the works of Alexander Capraro in the U.S., Francesco and Dr. Lucia Krasovec-Lucas, architect, sponsored a conference about him in Pietrabondante last year. I was zoomed into the conference and “met” Lucia for the first time. What I only recently learned was that she had done post doctoral work in Chicago 20 years ago. At that time, she discovered Alexander Capraro, architect from Pietrabbondante, and his architectural contributions to sites including the The Main Navy Building and the Munitions Building in Washington D.C.; Casa Bonita, still included as a historical site in the annual Open House Chicago; and The Italian Pavilion for the Century of Progress World’s Fair in Chicago in 1933-34.

©blogginginitaly.com (Dr. Lucia, 4th from right, next to Francesco)

Some years later, she published a book about her research, including drawings for the Italian Pavilion by Rome architects as well as my grandfather. She and Francesco are continuing their research even today, and of course, I will support them anyway I can. 

In 1938, Alexander Capraro visited Pietrabbondante, the only time he would since he left at age four. In a letter home to his wife Maude, he wrote:

“Today I met several aunts, cousins and relatives. They cried with joy and they never stopped feasting their eyes on the boy from America… In a few minutes, word spread that I was there and the whole town seemed to come around to see the native son from America.”

86 years later, returning to Pietrabbondante as the granddaughter of Alexander Capraro, I had some of the very same feelings as they warmly embraced me as part of the Pietrabbondante family.  

The first night in town, Francesco and his sister, Maria Concetta, plus cousins, of course, welcomed us for dinner at their family home. But before dinner, we were introduced to Caciocavallo, a wonderful local cheese.

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

The last night, even after a huge buffet at the ceremony, Rinella and Rosaria insisted we needed just a simple dinner… 

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As for my extended Pietrabbondante family, we’re not actually sure how we might be related, but if we go back far enough, there’s most likely a connection, either via bloodline or marriage. Vitullo and Di Salvo are common Pietrabbondante names that are in my family tree dating back to 1772, (thanks to Janet, Lyniece, and many others) and these names are in Francesco and Rinella’s ancestry as well. 

So many people spend endless hours tracing their ancestry. How very fortunate I have been to actually walk in the shoes of mine.

My heartfelt thanks for the tireless efforts and friendship of Francesco and Lucia, and the warmth, generosity and hospitality of Rinella, Rosaria and Roberto. I remain forever grateful to each of you. 

Next up, the reason for our return…the recognition and celebration of Alexander Capraro, American architect, born in Pietrabbondante in 1895.

Ciao,
Judy

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Santuario Italico di Pietrabbondante

23 Sep

Pietrabbondante’s earliest known inhabitants were the Samnites, who arrived in Pietrabbondante in the 6th century BC. Many historians believe that it was the home of the assemblies of the Samnite federal government and the site is viewed as a Samnite sanctuary.

On the slope of Monte Saraceno, the Samnites built a complex of worship consisting of a theater, a temple and two arcaded buildings on both sides. Work began in the late 2nd century BC and was completed in 95 AD. The building, as articulated, was intended both for worship and for institutional activities.

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The theater-temple complex is located on the outskirts of Pietrabbondante and sits on the site of a 3rd century BC temple portico which was destroyed by Hannibal in 217 BC. To build it, the Samnites situated two terraces along the side of the mountain, but at different levels on a single axis. The theater consists of two elements: the auditorium and the building stage, which are linked together by two stone arches. 

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The auditorium is capable of holding up to 2,500 spectators. Each of the seats was created from a single stone block with the dorsal elegantly thrown backwards (i.e., ergonomically designed!); with signs at both ends of each row reserving them for judges, priests, and so on. On both sides of the orchestra, retaining walls of the embankment ended with supports sculpted in the form of a man,  made from a kind of volcanic ash. 

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In addition, the auditorium had and still has excellent acoustics. Our guide needed only to stand on a specific center location, then speak in a normal voice to be easily heard by all! 

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I tried it;  you can actually hear your own voice quietly in your ears and all seated around you can hear as well. 

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The entire embankment is supported by large semicircular and polygonal blocks processed by cutting without regular contours.

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The temple, measuring 72 by 115 feet, lies behind the amphitheater. Today, the only structures remaining are the base and the eight columns that rose in front, and were paved with fine mosaics dedicated to different deities.  The roof was built with trusses, stringers, plates and tiles, each weighing 115 pounds. 

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The Samnites had an economy focused upon livestock and agriculture. Samnite agriculture was highly advanced for its time, and they practiced transhumance, the practice of moving livestock from one grazing area to another depending on the season.  Aside from relying on agriculture, the Samnites exported goods such as ceramics, bronze, iron, olives, wool, pottery, and terracottas. Their trade network extended across Campania, Latium, Apulia and Magna Graecia, the Greek inhabited areas in south Italy. It has been written that some were envious of their abilities.

The focus of this post is the archaeological site. Historically, however, what is known is that Samnites and Romans were enemies and engaged in many wars. Roman historians believed that Samnite society was highly militaristic. They feared Samnite cavalry and infantry, and nicknamed them Belliger Samnis, which translates to “Warrior Samnites”.[5][84] It is unclear if this portrayal is accurate and some consider it propaganda. Most Roman historical accounts of the Samnites were written after the Samnite civilization disappeared as of a result of their assimilation by the Romans. What we do know is that similar to the Etruscans, the Samnites were highly sophisticated in areas such as engineering, agriculture, architecture, arts, science, commerce and more.

And now we understand why the Samnite warrior stands atop the Pietrabbondante War Memorial.

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Many thanks to Lino for organizing this excursion, sharing his knowledge, and giving us the opportunity to walk this incredible archaeological site. Not only did we walk these ancient lands, we also gained wonderful  insights into the Samnites’ skills, innovation, determination and resilience. 

Bravo Lino! 

©blogginginitaly.com (Lino lower left)

Pleae note, the text in this post is mostly from Wikipedia, and  underlined words link to additional info, if interested. All photos are blogginginitaly.com.

Ciao, 
Judy

 

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An Amazing New Ending to an Incredible Journey: Pietrabbondante, The Town

21 Sep

On October 21, 2013, I began a “journey” with my paternal grandfather, Alexander Capraro, via letters he wrote home to my grandmother, Modesta Rose (Maude). He was returning to Europe in 1938 for the first time since he left for America at age four with his parents and younger sister. 

©blogginginitaly.com

My final post of that series, written on July 3, 2014, was about Len and my reaching his birth town, Pietrabbondante, and finding his birth home… or so I thought! 

For those seeking information about your ancestors, my advice is to never give up. As you will see, in this and several posts to follow, TEN YEARS LATER, my new incredible “ending” has become an extended awareness of our family history as well as the beginning of wonderful new familial connections. 

Len and I returned to Pietrabbondante September 14-16, 2024, for an incredible recognition of my grandfather. But first, some expanded information I learned about the town and its history.

When my grandfather visited in 1938, he described Pietrabbondante in his letter home:

“The town has about 4000 people, electric light, and a secondary railroad. It is well named for the mountain peaks of stone and rocks… The scenery is beautiful beyond imagination.”

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Today, the full time population is less than 200, but expands greatly during holidays and summer months. As with large and small towns throughout Italy, the annual cultural and religious festivals and celebrations are always on the calendar. There are no longer schools or restaurants in town, but among the places I noticed on my walk were two bars, two groceries, two butcher shops, a tabacchi, a post office, a pharmacy, a barber, a beauty salon, the church, and the municipal building.  Some of these are pictured below. 

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©blogginginitaly.com    Church of Santa Maria Assunta


©blogginginitaly.com     Pietrabbondante Municipio

Pietrabbondante is located in the province of Isernia, (Molise region), a two hour train ride from Rome. Interestingly, when my grandfather was born in 1895, the town was part of the Abruzzo region. (Seems like redistricting happens everywhere!)

Looking closely at the monument above, you’ll see a statue depicting an ancient Samnite soldier. This statue is a tribute to the fallen soldiers from Pietrabbondante in WWI. The funds for the statue were raised by an immigrant committee in America in 1919, and in 1920, the local city council used the funds to construct the monument.

But why a Samnite soldier, and who were the Samnites? More about the ancient history of Pietrabbondante in the next post.

For now, I’ll leave you with a short lesson in Italian:
Pietrabbondante = pietra [stone] + abbondante [abundance].
As my grandfather said, it is well named indeed!

Ciao, 
Judy 

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Arrivederci Cortona – 2014

30 Jul

Some wonderful sights, sounds, smells, settings, 
and most of all,  salutes and smiles (and a bit of splash!)
that we will take home, in photos and in our hearts…

Sights:

©Blogginginitaly.com

Pietrabbondante ©Blogginginitaly.com

Bagnoli dei Trigno - blogginginitaly.com

Bagnoli dei Trigno – blogginginitaly.com

Gubbio - blogginginitaly.com

Gubbio – blogginginitaly.com

Lago Trasimeno - ©Blogginginitaly.com

Lago Trasimeno – ©Blogginginitaly.com

Cortona - ©Blogginginitaly.com

Cortona – ©Blogginginitaly.com

Sounds:

Quercinella - ©Blogginginitaly.com

Terrenean Sea, Quercinella – ©Blogginginitaly.com

Marinelli Bell Foundry Agnone ©Blogginginitaly.com

Marinelli Bell Foundry, Agnone ©Blogginginitaly.com

Carmen in Cortona ©Blogginginitaly.com

Carmen, Cortona Teatro ©Blogginginitaly.com

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Smells:

Tuscher Cafe - blogginginitaly.com

Pasta with Melon and Ham, Tuscher Cafe – blogginginitaly.com

Pasta Napoletana, AD, ©Blogginginitaly.com

Pasta Neapolitana, AD Ristorante, ©Blogginginitaly.com

Pasta with Mozarella, rocket and Tomatoes, Domus Hotel, blogginginitaly.com

Pasta with Mozzarella, Greens and Tomatoes, Domus Hotel, blogginginitaly.com

Eggplant a la Giovanna©Blogginginitaly.com

Eggplant a la Giovanna©Blogginginitaly.com

Fernanda's Green Peppercorn Filet - ©Blogginginitaly.com

Fernanda’s Green Peppercorn Filet and Garden Vegetables – ©Blogginginitaly.com

Settings (come rain or shine):

Ivan, Lori & Tomas ©Blogginginitaly.com

Ivan, Lori & Tomas
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Lapo & Paola - ©Blogginginitaly.com

Lapo & Paola – ©Blogginginitaly.com

Giovanna & Franco - ©Blogginginitaly.com

Giovanna & Franco – ©Blogginginitaly.com

Massimo & Daniela - ©Blogginginitaly.com

Massimo & Daniela – ©Blogginginitaly.com

And most of all – Salutes:

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Smiles:

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And a bit of Splash!

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Grazie a tutti! 

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A prossimo!!! 

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Tanti Abbracci!

Giuditta e Leonardo

 

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Through His Words and Now Mine: Pietrabbondante!

3 Jul

Reflections From and About My Grandfather
Alexander Capraro, Architect

At long last, our journey is realized – we find Pietrabbondante.

76 years, 10 months and 10 days after Alex returned to his birthplace, so too did Len and I, being the first and only ancestors after Alex, we think, to step foot in this town of his birth.

The town’s name comes from pietra, meaning stone, and abbondante, meaning abundance, hence Pietrabbondante. And there certainly is an abundance of stone in the area.

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Pietrabbondante – blogginginitaly.com

When Alex was born, Pietrabbondante was in Abruzzo, but with redistricting (a la US politics), it is now part of Molise. On the map below, Pietra is between Agnone and Isernia, in the Apennine Mountain range.

molise

In 1895, when Alex was born, there were about 4000 residents in Pietrabbondante. Today, there are less than 800.

As soon as we arrived in the main square, the few people around greeted us kindly, but knew instantly we were visitors. This definitely isn’t a town with a tourist issue. The main square has a beautiful war memorial like so many we see throughout Italy, dedicated to the soldiers who died defending their country and towns.

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We made our way to the church my grandfather described in his last letter and easily found it at the end of the main street.

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This is where my great-grandparents, Emerenziana Vitullo and Vincenzo Iacapraro were married and where their first-born son Alex was baptized.

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Next stop was the Municipal building. Armed with Alex’s parents’ birth records, we were eventually united with the vice mayor (vice sindaco), Michele Zullo. When I told him I was hoping to find Alex’s parents’ house, he shook his head saying that without an address, it would be difficult to find. The mayor did not know any Iacapraros, but said there were many Vitullos still in town, so we decided to search for those records.

Forget computers – this is an efficient manual process. We experienced this once before, years ago, when we went to Calabria to find Len’s ancestors.

First, find the book with the right year span. Check.

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Next, cut the twine as the book hasn’t been opened in years! Check.

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Then, search for the date of birth in 1873. Check.

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And just like that – Alex’s mother’s name and records.

Emerenziana Vitullo blogginginitaly.com

Emerenziana Vitullo – blogginginitaly.com

The mayor patiently reads the page and suddenly says he knows the house. He tries to explain where it is, but then decides to walk us there himself. I can hardly believe this is about to happen!

We walk for about five minutes, when he stops abruptly… “Guarda, questa è la vostra casa!” (Look, this is your house!) he proudly proclaims in Italian.

blogginginitaly.com

blogginginitaly.com

And there it is – right on the main street, 83 Corso Sannitico.

data=VLHX1wd2Cgu8wR6jwyh-km8JBWAkEzU4,7oGgtJuaglUFIfuiddSlrSqhBd-EIWrxzPt07pVZeGZZyeC0GIJHYYEEfzKtNngKbVU5ZmcPOy0tTSrkN_WZXhpVLNs81TLexDwlchdDMm0YJO7AON4sBMC8oqhMsWmXOVgJOxpVWMLjAcA9i7DOyeIVfx2PLwQLX4YiE2IQrPSUu_qkl3GVhG-D-IEShmdVw6A8xiML

Time for photos.

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Vie Sindaco e Judy blogginginitaly.com

Vice Sindaco Michele Zullo and Judy – blogginginitaly.com

Michele explains that there had been a little shop or bar on the fist floor, hence the door on the left with curtains.

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Amazing! Mission accomplished.

We talked, hugged and kissed arrivederci, then thanked Michele for his genuine hospitality.

Then Len and I stopped to imagine Alex running up and down this lovely street until age four…

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and couldn’t help but wonder why his parents decided to leave Pietrabbondante and their ties behind. What caused them to seek a new life in America, so very different and so very far away?

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How did this young family manage, in 1899, to get from this town, high in the mountains, to the harbors in Napoli, where they would have boarded a ship destined to a land unknown?

Talk about courage. Whatever they envisioned, never could they have imagined that one day, their four-year old Alex would become the first licensed Italian American architect in the state of Illinois.

There is much more to Alex’s story, but for the next month or so, I will relish in this encounter with my ancestral origins and just smile.

To Alex, my grandfather, thank you for your incredible letters and for the history and insights that led us to your roots, as well as ours. And to Aunt Marion, and all of Alex’s descendants, a bit of history we can now cherish forever, and as Alex did so well, continue to pass on for generations to come.

Salute!

Ciao,

Judy

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Through His Words: Day Thirty-Six

17 Jun

Reflections From and About My Grandfather
Alexander Capraro, Architect

 

Saturday  August 20, 1938
(no letter written for 5 days)

Honey, I got the real kick of the whole trip today when I reached my hometown and saw the house and the actual room of my birth. It was necessary to go the opposite direction from Naples to Pietrabbondante than to Ricigliano for Rici is about 100 miles southeast of Naples and my town about 100 miles north east.

Pietrabbondante to Ricigliano today by car - Google Maps

Pietrabbondante to Ricigliano today by car – Google Maps

Alex’s parents left Pietrabbondante in 1899, when he was just four years old, to bring him to America. On the other hand, Maude’s parents and even some of her grandparents, were born in Chicago, but traced their roots to Ricigliano. Alex had promised Maude that he would visit each of their ancestral towns.

It certainly was a blessing to have the use of a car to get to these mountain towns, and when I say mountain,  I mean just that. Rici is about 2500 feet above sea level and Pietra is about 4000 feet above. Rici is almost impossible to get to it as the R.R. Station is at Bovano-Ricigliano, 10 miles from Rici, and from there, the only means of transportation is a jackass with a guide or to walk. Without a car, I never could have gone there.

valentinadesantis.com/walking-through-pietrabbondante

valentinadesantis.com/walking-through-pietrabbondante

Joe Colianni placed the car with chauffeur at my disposal. I am paying for the gas, however, to compensate in a way for his generosity. This fella is a Chicago boy, Tony Dell Croce is his name, a nice young chap 22 years old and a marvel in those mountains. There is a lot to tell about the small towns, but today I met Rosaria’s mother, my aunt, another aunt Beatrice, and Rosaria’s other brothers and sister, two boys and one girl and a flock of near real relatives. They cried with joy in both aunts and cousins never stopped feasting their eyes on the boy from America. We took some pictures and you can see what kind of country this is, if they come out well.

I also found my relative is the big shot of the town for my Aunt Beatrice’s son is the mayor of the town and his son in turn is the priest and pastor of the church. In a few minutes, word spread that I was there and the whole town seemed to come around my aunt’s house to see the “fine automobile and the prodigal son from America.”

I went to the church climbing several hundred feet to the top of a cliff and there it was, just exactly as I had remembered it when I was a little over four years old. I went to the rear of the church and from there it is a sheer drop of a couple of thousand feet. It just makes you dizzy. From the vantage point, you can see about 20 other towns including Agnone where Doc Vitullo comes from. 

Landscape on Agnone from Pietrabbondante, valentinadesantis.com

Landscape on Agnone from Pietrabbondante, valentinadesantis.com

Now for a brief comparison. Rici has a little over 800 population, no railroad, and is practically in Calabria. 100 feet more and you would have been a Callabrian. There is one street a little over a block long and it is not paved, not even the Piazza or Square. (You must know that every town in Italy has a Piazza.) The only buildings with electric lights are the Pagano’s, the City Hall, and the church. The people are terribly poor and it’s hard to figure out how they live for there is nothing around it in the way of farmlands, etc. The crops are meager and scarce, but on these meager crops, they have to exist.

comune.ricigliano.sa.it

comune.ricigliano.sa.it

The people from my town are in a little better circumstance for besides raising wheat, etc., there is a great mountain forest with a very expensive wood as a product of the trees, and a few sawmills to cut the trees and market the lumber. The town has 4000 inhabitants, electric light, and a secondary railroad, so that it is accessible. It certainly is rightfully named for the mountain peaks of stone and rocks of marble from a wall on one side. The scenery here is beautiful beyond imagination, going to either town, but the roads are better going to Pietra than they are at Rici. I don’t say this to boast about my town; this is a fact.

Abbruzzi is quite higher in the mountains, cooler in summer and more scenic than any other part of Italy, and it is becoming a summer mountain resort catered to by people from Rome and Naples. Water there is marvelous. I must have drunk a gallon of water there today.

Well, I better quit writing about these towns. We got back to Naples about 11 o’clock and I am staying at Montenegros place tonight, for tomorrow I am to take a boat to Capri, which is an all-day trip.

Marionelli is coming in tomorrow morning from Rome and might go with me. He sent me a wire tonight and by coincidence, he is staying at the Flora Hotel in Rome where I stayed. He informed me there are four letters for me there. I wired back and told him to bring them with him.

Monday, the Coliannis are coming to Naples and we will be together and then on the ship for home.

Some wonderful postcards from Napoli circa 1938:

Napoli 1935- Via Caracciolo

Napoli – Via Caracciolo

Napoli 1937 - Nuova Palazzo RR. Paste - Lata posteriore

Napoli –  Nuova Palazzo  RR. Poste – Lata posteriore

Naploi - Piazza Plebiscito e Basilical S. Francesco Di Paola

Naploi – Piazza Plebiscito e Basilical S. Francesco Di Paola

This will probably be the last letter you will get before I see you, so Goodnight Sweetheart until we meet.

Lovingly yours,
Al

Postscript:

Sadly for me, Alex’s trip has almost ended as this is his last letter from Italy. However, I am hoping in the next few weeks to visit Pietrabbondante and actually find the home of Alex’s birth, just as he did.  I have sent numerous emails to the local municipal office, and even contacted them by phone, but the fact is, I just need to show up. And thanks to Aunt Marion, I have my ancestors Italian birth records in hand!

It’s been an interesting and exciting journey for me. I have discovered so much about my grandparents lives and love, and what life was like for them in the 1930’s. The most fitting way I can think of to keep Alex’s trip alive is to keep it going.

Over the years, so much has changed in Pietrabbondante. Even the area has been redistricted and Pietrabbondante is now part of Molise instead of Abruzzo. Today, the population is less than 1000. And yet I’m sure, much remains the same. Who knows what I’ll discover?

Stay tuned as we all find out.

Ciao,

Judy

 

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Happy New Year – Buon Anno!

31 Dec

A warm thank you to all who have found and followed Blogginginitaly.com, which had over 10,000 views from 83 countries in 2013. When I began writing in 2011, little did I realize the joy this blog would bring me. It is such fun for me to share my thoughts and experiences and know others enjoy reading about them as well.

A few things in store for Blogginginitaly 2014…

A winter visit to Rome… (haven’t done that since I was a student!)

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as well as Cortona, which I’ve never been to in winter!

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Much more about Alex and his travels to Italy

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and a summer journey for Len and me to Alex’s birthplace, Pietrabbondante.

Pietrabbondante

Pietrabbondante (Photo credit: diffendale)

As we anticipate our summer return to Cortona, we know it will be filled with wonderful new and familiar experiences, great food and wine, the tranquillity of piazza life, and so many roads less travelled to discover and share with you. But best of all, we know we will be spending time with dear friends we have made through our travels.

May your new year be filled with health and time spent with loved ones, and may you find  time to enjoy a sunset, wherever your roads lead you.

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Happy New Year and Buon Anno 2014!

Ciao,

Judy

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Through His Words: Reflections From and About My Grandfather

2 Oct

I am about to begin an incredible adventure with my paternal grandfather. We will venture to Europe, via ship, and spend a month together touring Italy. During our stay, we will visit his birthplace, Pietrabbondante, a town he left with his parents when he was four years old to emigrate to the United States.

In the year 1895 on the 9th day of January, Mr. Ruggiero di Salvo, Mayor and official of the Bureau of Vital Statistics for the city of Pietrabbondante, received information that at the hour of 4:00 A.M. on the 7th day of Jan. 1895, was born in Pietrabbondante a male child to whom the name of Allesandro was given, son of Vincenzo Iacapraro and Maria Emerenziana Vitullo.

Meet Alexander V. Capraro, my grandfather.  An old, warn picture perhaps but a very handsome man indeed. We think this may have been his wedding day.

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Now you may be wondering….born in 1895? 118 years old and taking me on a month-long trip? Exactly.

Although the Internet didn’t exist, and my grandfather only lived to the young age of 61, he was a blogger. Oh, they didn’t call it that at the time, but like so many others, he wrote about his experiences in the nearly lost art of letter writing.   Fortunately, the letters were kept and are now in my possession. Thanks, Aunt Marion!

My grandfather was small in stature but large in accomplishment. He was the first Italian-American architect licensed in the state of Illinois and fortunately, a few of his buildings still stand for us to admire. Unfortunately for his grandchildren, however, he died before we really had a chance to know him. But now I plan to change that as I read through and relive his journey to his homeland in 1938. It was his only visit to Italy, and since my grandmother didn’t want to leave their three children, he wrote her daily. Over the next year, I will include parts of his story in my blog. Next summer, Len and I will visit his hometown and perhaps even find the home where he lived.

I am so excited to begin this journey and to share my experiences along the way. My love and connection to Italy continue to grow as I research the past and partake of the present. And while studying history is one thing, studying my paternal ancestors’ history through my Grandfather’s words is clearly another.

Over the next year, Through His Words: Reflections From and About My Grandfather will unfold as I read his letters, follow his footsteps, and get to know better the man I called Grandpa so many years ago.

Ciao,

Judy

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