Forestiere Underground Complex

August 19, 2006 5:36 PM

In the early 1900's, Sicilian immigrant Baldasare Forestiere moved from New York the San Joaquin valley, California. Working alone during his spare time and using only hand tools, he spent 40 years sculpting an underground home and garden [Real] that's a work of art and architectural engineering known today as the Forestiere Underground Gardens. [Gimages]
posted by CodeBaloo (11 comments total)

heh, I lived not 2 miles from there. Here's a satellite/aerial view, courtesy of google and imageshack.
posted by Heywood Mogroot at 6:11 PM on August 19, 2006

Just too cool. Thank you.
posted by vers at 6:24 PM on August 19, 2006

Fantastic place, but I was frustrated that there weren't more pix. So here's a whole passel of 'em.
posted by rob511 at 6:25 PM on August 19, 2006

Amazing work. Thank you!
posted by owhydididoit at 6:44 PM on August 19, 2006

Incredible, absolutely my favorite kind of post. Thanks!
posted by jonson at 7:04 PM on August 19, 2006

the Gardens link has a horrible fly buzzing ad that made me not want to read the article.
posted by Balisong at 7:33 PM on August 19, 2006

Thanks, CodeBaloo, I really enjoyed that.
posted by taosbat at 8:59 PM on August 19, 2006

Now I have a reason to visit Fresno. Thanks for the wonderful post, CodeBaloo.
posted by maryh at 12:12 AM on August 20, 2006

Additional thanks to rob511 for the gorgeous photos. Nice work!
posted by maryh at 12:13 AM on August 20, 2006

another reason to see california again.
thanks a lot!
posted by Busithoth at 6:05 AM on August 20, 2006

T.C. Boyle wrote a short story about this man ("The Underground Gardens," in his bookAfter the Plague and Other Stories). It's a neat story that speculates on his motives and so on and so forth. Unfortunately it's not available online, but it is also in The 1999 O'Henry Awards anthology.
posted by anjamu at 3:07 PM on August 22, 2006