Amerigo "Piccino" Presepi (c.1920s), was the Foreman ("Il Bosso) of the Gulch Ranch during the early 1940s. Because of his "hard-diriving" style of leadership, the Ranch became know as "Il Rancio di Pompieri" (The Ranch of the Firemen). [La Nostra Costa (Our Coast), pages 38-39)
Members of the all-Black 54th Coast Artillery Battalion were assigned to guard "La Costa" (The Coast) during World War II [La Nostra Costa (Our Coast), Chapter end-note #17, page 24]
Francis and Hazel Gregory standing in front of their Gregorys Store and Gas Station in Davenport (c.1940s). Francis was Alvin Gregory's brother who also was part owner of the store. [La Nostra Costa (Our Coast) page 352
In October 1951, Rocky Marciano (right) knocked out Joe Louis, the Former Heavyweight Champion of the World. This shattered one dream and started another one for Ivano Franco Comelli. Louis had been his boyhood hero, but he soon found another one, as Marciano won the Heavyweight Belt a few months later. [La Nostra Costa (Our Coast) page 152]
Joe Gemignani (left) and Fred Dimeo, photographed in Berlin in 1945. Coastal Rumors have it, that the two youths caused so much trouble riding their motorcycles up and down the north coast that the Selective Service Draft Board was ordered by certain influential Santa Cruz citizens to make the two 1-A, and thus become immediately available to serve in the Army. [La Nostra Costa (Our Coast), page 179
Fred Carcello, Pharmacist and Owner of Mission Drugs, located on the north-west corner of Mission and Bay Streets in Santa Cruz. It was favorite place for Italians living on Santa Cruz's North Coast to go to for their pharmaceutical needs. [La Nostra Costa (Our Coast), page 194]
Joe Antonetti (center) and Joe Stefani (right) along with unknown bartender, pouring themselves a drink at the "Lucca - Joe and Joe" (aka the "Lucca Lunch") Bar and Café, which was located on Front Street in Santa Cruz. The "Lucca Lunch" was a favorite of the "ranceri" (Italian Coastal Ranchers.) [La Nostra Costa (Our Coast), page 100-101]
Lido Gemignani (on the left) standing with friends on the Santa Cruz Beach in front of the Coconut Grove Ball Room (c.1948). It was at the Coconut Grove that Lido and his friend, Louis Aluffi, were arrested during World War II. The two were arrested for being "Enemy Aliens" found in a restricted area, after curfew. [La Nostra Costa (Our Coast), pages 176-177)
Ocean View Hotel (c.1940s) was located in Davenport. The Hotel was owned by Charley and Carmelina Bella and was famous for its "Wild Game Feasts". The Hotel Burned down c.1962. [La Nostra Costa (Our Coast) pages 112-113]
The 'Davenport Destroyer' (1946), Joe Brovia. Also known to the North Coast Italians as "Pino" Brovia. Joe played in the Pacific Coast Baseball League in the 1940s and 1950s. In 2005 he was inducted into the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame. He was a boyhood hero for those of us who grew up on the North Coast of Santa Cruz during this time period. [La Nostra Costa (Our Coast), Pages 119-127]
Another photo of Joe "Pino" Brovia, Pacific Coast League Hall of Famer [La Nostra Costa (Our Coast), page 123] with his two daughters at the Beach in Santa Cruz c. 1960s
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