L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2015 www.italoamericano.com L'Italo-Americano 7 An Era Ends, But Its Legacy Lives On India Street residence, strewn o v e r a c h a i n l i n k f e n c e , t h e remains of the actual fishing nets that those early fishermen used can still be seen, and are d i s p l a y e d f o r t o u r i s t s t o t h e area. "I love living in Little Italy," said Carla Najar, a native of Peru who has lived in the 1804 India Street residence with her boyfriend for approximately two years. "It's a lovely place," said the marketing researcher. She lives on the second floor o f t h e h o u s e , w h i c h w a s t h e original structure. According to Frank Russo the tenant on the first floor, his residence was the San Diego's India Street, in Little Italy, houses at least 4 h o u s e s t h a t a r e l i s t e d i n t h e National Registry, and although the hay day of their era ended long ago, the Italian legacy that they spawned lives on. Little Italy became densely populated in the early 1900s as a result of the many Italian fisherman and their families who relocated to San Diego when a devastating earthquake left many in San Francisco homeless. The San Diego harbor made it a perfect area for these fishermen and their families to start a new life. For over 70 years, San Diego's tuna industry thrived and the a r e a r e m a i n e d a h u b o f t h e city's Italian culture. A m u r a l d e p i c t i n g t h o s e early times is dedicated to the f i s h e r m e n a n d f a m i l i e s w h o f o u n d e d L i t t l e I t a l y a t t h e beginning of the 1900s. It bears t h e s t r e e t n a m e s o f S t a t e , Columbia and India, as well as the Sapphire Neptune Seafood Company. In back of the 1804 addition. This is the house that Jack Zoletti built, according to Russo, who also mentioned that the owner dotes on the building a n d k e e p s i t i n g r e a t s h a p e . According to Russo the upper, original structure was raised and the lower structure built under it. Supposedly, they didn't want to move the furniture." " I ' v e l i v e d h e r e f o r f o u r years" said Russo, who is origi- nally from New York. "When I saw that this place was for rent, I went for it. I got lucky because p e o p l e w h o m o v e i n , n e v e r move out." Russo related that a series of women occupied the building for "20 years" before he saw his chance to move in. "It's a lovely place to live in; unique not like anywhere else in t h e c i t y , " a d d e d t h e e x - N e w Yorker. Across the street and north e a s t o f t h e Z o l e t t i h o u s e i s Nelson Photo Supplies. For a lit- tle over 60 years, Nelson Photo Supplies has supplied the San Diego photography market. On the corner of this building is a plaque dedicated to Rose and Salvatore Cresci who met in Our Lady of the Rosary church, which will be celebrating its hundredth birth soon. They met in 1939 and married in 1942. The Cresci's moved into their family's property, right above the Bay City Drug Store which is now the site of Nelson Photo. The plaque also commemorates their 65th wedding anniversary in 2007. One street over, closer to the h a r b o r , i s t h e c e l e b r a t e d Waterfront Tavern, touted as the 1933 institution that "outlasted the waterfront, but stills draws crowds." This tavern is both part of the early San Diego era, as well as part of the legacy that still lives on. The tavern is filled ROBERT GALLO with photographs and memora- bilia from the San Diego's early past and the exploits of its leg- e n d a r y f i s h e r m e n . C h a f f e e Grant and Clair Blakley opened the Waterfront Tavern, shortly a f t e r t h e p r o h i b i t i o n w a s repealed catering to the local fishermen, oil company employ- ees, and workers from surround- ing businesses. It is rumored that Wyatt Earp was an early customer. P e r h a p s o n e o f t h e m o s t recent additions to the ever- growing Little Italy scene, and continuing the Italian legacy, is Landini's Pizza which recently o p e n e d i n t h e h e a r t o f S a n Diego's historic Little Italy. "We are the first and only 'New York style pizza by the slice' in the neighborhood since 1999," a c c o r d i n g t o i t s o w n e r s , t h e Landini family. Warm Panini w i t h i m p o r t e d m e a t s a n d c h e e s e s , F l o r e n t i n e i n s p i r e d pastas, and an adequate selec- tion of beers and wines are also on offer. The WaterfrontTavern. Established in 1933 Mural dedicated to fishing industry in early San Diego Angelo serves pizza by the slice in Landini's Pizza

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