Forestiere Underground Gardens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Forestiere Underground Gardens
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 Location in Fresno, California
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | Fresno, California |
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| Architect | Baldasare Forestiere |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000293 |
| Added to NRHP | October 28, 1977 |
The Forestiere Underground Gardens are amazing underground rooms and tunnels in Fresno, California. A man named Baldassare Forestiere, who came from Sicily, built them all by himself over 40 years, from 1906 until he passed away in 1946. Today, his family runs the gardens as the Forestiere Historical Center. It's a unique example of building something special using local ideas and materials.
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The Story of the Gardens
Baldassare Forestiere was born in Sicily on July 8, 1879. He moved to the United States in the early 1900s. After living on the East Coast for a while, he bought land in Fresno. He wanted to grow citrus trees, but the soil was very hard. Also, the summers in Fresno were extremely hot.
To escape the heat, Forestiere dug a small cellar. He might have been inspired by old Roman catacombs or wine cellars he saw in Italy. He found the cellar cool and comfortable. So, he kept digging, creating more rooms connected to each other. He even lived there!
Forestiere then started trying to grow trees underground. He made special openings in the ceiling, like skylights, to let in light. He discovered that with careful tending, the trees grew well. Being underground also protected them from frost in winter. Forestiere kept expanding and improving these gardens until he died in 1946. He used only hand tools and a pair of mules for all his work.
The Forestiere Underground Gardens are very important. They were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. In 1978, they were also recognized as a California Historical Landmark.
How the Gardens Were Designed
The Forestiere Underground Gardens have 65 rooms. These include a summer bedroom, a winter bedroom, a bath, and a working kitchen. There's even a fishpond and a living room with a fireplace.
Between the stone walls and archways, you'll find grottoes and courtyards. These open areas let in pockets of light. Forestiere created these detailed pathways section by section. He worked on about 10 acres of land without any blueprints or plans drawn beforehand.
The underground structure has three different levels. One level is 10 feet deep, another is 20 feet deep, and the deepest one is 23 feet deep.
Smart Features for Air and Water
The gardens have skylights and special basins to catch water. The dirt that Forestiere dug out was not wasted. He used it to fill planters, make stones for the underground rooms, and level other parts of his land. The hard soil he removed was even reused as bricks for archways and supports.
The pathways and rooms were built with different widths. This helps to move air around. When air goes through narrower parts, it creates pressure. Then, it bounces off the sloped and curved walls, keeping the air moving. The cone-shaped skylights help push hot air out quickly, keeping the cool air below.
Plants and Trees in the Gardens
Some of the plants and trees in the gardens are over 100 years old. Because they are underground, they are safe from frost in the winter. Forestiere planted trees on different levels at different times. This means they bloom one after another, making the growing season longer.
The gardens grow many types of fruit. You can find citrus fruits and berries. There are also exotic fruits like the kumquat, loquat, and jujube. Forestiere even grafted some trees. This means he joined parts of different trees together so one tree could grow more than one kind of fruit. Trees and vines were also planted above the underground rooms. They act like insulation and create canopies that protect the gardens from the weather.
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