L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2015 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 9 I talians are portrayed as autho- rities in a wide variety of occupations and vocations, i n c l u d i n g a r t i s t s , d e s i g n e r s , entrepreneurs of all types, chefs, and any number of other colorful o c c u p a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g f a r - mer. You know the word, con- tadino. I f w e t a k e a l o o k a t t h e history of organic farming, we can clearly see that Italy was at t h e f o r e f r o n t o f p i o n e e r i n g m e t h o d s d a t i n g b a c k t o t h e 1 9 6 0 s . I n 1 9 9 0 t h e f i r s t I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e o f O r g a n i c A g r i c u l t u r e i n t h e Mediterranean countries, the AgriBioMediteraneo, was held in Vignola, Italy, and in 2008, t h e 1 6 t h O r g a n i c W o r l d Congress of the International F e d e r a t i o n o f O r g a n i c A g r i c u l t u r e w a s h e l d i n Modena. Certainly early Bay Area immigrant farmers did not h a v e s u c h l o f t y g o a l s i n mind. They were focused on surviving everyday challenges, providing for their families and maintaining some semblance of their Italian culture while assi- milating into their American lives. San Francisco's Original Italian Produce Market O n e o f t h e f i r s t f a r m e r s ' markets in San Francisco was the Colombo Market. It not only helped drive the local economy, it was a unifying factor in the Bay Area's Italian community. Typical of the early giardi- nieri (gardeners) was Nicola M a r i n i , a n i m m i g r a n t f r o m Genoa who grew vegetables on t h e s i t e o f w h a t i s n o w S a n Francisco's Civic Center in the mid-1800s. Farmers like Nicola and their farms sprang up all over the city where sandy soil became quite fertile when com- bined with compost and fertili- zer. Originally, produce was sold on sidewalks, but in 1874 the San Francisco Gardeners and Ranchers Association organized a p r o p e r v e n u e c a l l e d t h e C o l o m b o M a r k e t , a S a n Francisco version of London's Covent Garden. This area on Davis Street, near Front and Pacific Streets, was rented for $750. It soon became a fast- paced, bustling conglomeration of men, trucks, boxes of produce piled high with colorful vegeta- bles and fruits surrounded by modest wooden buildings hou- sing bars, restaurants and roo- ming houses. W e a p p l a u d t h e m e n a n d w o m e n t h a t e s t a b l i s h e d S a n Francisco's Colombo Market back in the 1870s. It expanded over the years and by the early 1 9 2 0 s i t g r e w i n t o t h e a r e a k n o w n a s t h e S a n F r a n c i s c o Produce District. The Colombo Market morphed taking over a f u l l c i t y b l o c k n e a r t h e Embarcadero, in the area boun- ded by Pacific, Front, Davis, and Jackson Streets. Unfortunately it was closed in the early 1960s to m a k e w a y f o r t h e G o l d e n Gateway redevelopment project. T h e s i t e i s n o w S y d n e y G . Walton Square, where only the old brick entrance arch remains, a forlorn reminder of the City's produce industry epicenter. Thieves' Highway What does a movie title like Thieves' Highway have to do with farmers' markets? Quite a bit, actually. Most of this 1949 film was shot in what had been the Italian produce district of San Francisco. It made the big- time on the big-screen as the subject of this film noir drama starring Italian actress Valentina Cortese and Richard Conte, a w e l l - k n o w n a c t o r b o r n o f Italian-American parents. The superb black and white cinema- tograph eloquently captures the r o u g h , e a r l y d a y s o f S a n F r a n c i s c o ' s l i v e l y p r o d u c e district. Originally part of the noto- rious Barbary Coast, by 1911 the area eventually transformed into the produce district that housed the businesses depicted in the film. They included the John DeMartini Produce Company, Scatena-Galli Fruit Company, a n d m o v i e c h a r a c t e r M i k e Figlia's concern which was in actuality Half Moon Fruit and Produce Company. The vintage image you see here was taken from Washington Street looking d o w n t h e b u s t l i n g D a v i s Street. The description of the o r i g i n a l 1 9 4 5 p h o t o g r a p h reads: "Insufficient parking freezes traffic - The first hun- dred trucks in the area absorb limited space and other double and triple park. As many as 600 trucks in the area have been c o u n t e d a t o n e t i m e . " H o w aptly that describes the scene that sets the stage for the film. Although over 65 years old, Thieves' Highway is regularly aired on classic television chan- nels. Often hailed as memora- ble, the film depicts the lives of characters like truck drivers, f a r m e r s , b u s i n e s s m e n , a n d hustlers living a rough, seemin- gly seedy existence. Although shabby, their lives are none-the- less a poignant portrayal of what it takes to eke out a living and merely survive. T h e m a r k e t s o n t o d a y ' s streets sell directly to consumers in colorful and clean booths not at all reminiscent of the whole- sale markets lining the city's streets in the 20 th century but the original Italian roots are still there. In a future article, L'Italo Americano will continue the s t o r y o f S a n F r a n c i s c o ' s markets with John Brucato, a farmers' market pioneer respon- sible for the convenient markets of present day, including the successful Alemany Farmers' Market. Look for updates on the proposed new North Beach Farmers' Market and the flouri- s h i n g F e r r y P l a z a o n t h e Embarcadero, with highlights of the market's successful Italian vendors. Before Ferry Plaza there was the Italian Farmers' Market CATHERINE ACCARDI 650.400.4747 AdeleDS@aol.com www.AdeleDS.com BRE# 00911740 Certied Trust, Probate and Estate Specialist Expert in preparation, promotion, and negotiation! SELLING HOMES THROUGHOUT THE BAY AREA Adele Della Santina "e Right Realtor makes all the difference." The San Francisco Produce Market-View of Davis Street from Washington Street, November 13, 1945. Photo: San Francisco Public Library T h e C o l o m b o M a r k e t a r c h i n S i d n e y W a l t o n S q u a r e P a r k , S a n Francisco. Photo credit: Catherine Accardi

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