Forestiere Underground Gardens

When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence. ~Ansel Adams




Last weekend, I had the amazing opportunity to visit Forestiere Underground Gardens, in Fresno, California, where I took the above photo of a subterranean walkway in the midst of an entire network of underground rooms in the "Garden Home" of Baldassare Forestiere, a Sicilian immigrant, who lived from 1879-1946.

The Forestiere family has owned this site for over 100 years, and it is listed by the Department of the Interior on the NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES and a CALIFORNIA REGISTERED HISTORICAL LANDMARK, NUMBER 916.

We toured this incredible maze of underground rooms, passageways, courtyards and patios, which included the living area, consisting of a kitchen, bedrooms, library and bath; built and sculpted alone, by Baldassare Forestiere over a span of 40 years (1906-1946) in which he used only hand tools.

Once this underground complex spanned 10 acres, but only 4 acres remain today and it is open to accept visitors to hear Baldassare's amazing story and marvel at his accomplishments. The gardens of old fruit trees and gnarly, thick grapevines planted by Baldassare; continue to provide fresh fruit, some of which is sold on site.




"God only knows what has kept the Gardens this long. I think if it were not for the visitors, we would not have been able to make it this far. How can one destroy or exploit the work this man has done? Can not the strength and purity of a person's work survive in our age? Certainly we, at this period of history, desperately need examples of man's simple capacity to achieve with only the mind and body God has given us."

~Lorraine Forestiere



I found the wonder of it all very inspiring! I hope you enjoy these photos and information! You can find more info at www.undergroundgardens.info