Guasti and the Italian Vineyard Company - Rancho Cucamonga, CA - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

The plaque says, "Born in 1859 in the Piemonte region of Italy, Secundo Guasti had been surrounded by vines and wines throughout his childhood. Coming to America in 1884, he assimilated into the Italian community in Los Angeles and soon began growing grapes there. Learning of the success ranchers like George Haven and Daniel Milliken were having with dry-farming practices which produced sweeter wines he purchased 2,000 acres of chaparral in 1900, adjacent to the recently completed Southern Pacific Railway line. Over 3,000 acres were procured shortly thereafter with the help of sixteen Italian immigrants who raised the needed $60,000. Guasti was then elected president of the Italian Vineyard Company, controlling 4,700 acres of wine grapes that stretched from Ontario to Fontana. The remaining 300 acres became the site of the Guasti community, complete with massive stone winery buildings, Guasti's country mansion, a range of employee housing, a general store, a church, a school, a fire station, even a post office. Guasti's savvy national marketing campaign showed the valley's growers the importance of sweet wines to their livelihood, and inspired many families from Italy to settle in the area."

Group that erected the marker: Unknown Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: Rancho Cucamonga, California URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed

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Date Logged Log   04/09/2021 bluesnote visited it