Today, where the 15 Freeway crosses Foothill Blvd., is an important center of retail and commerce in Rancho Cucamonga, from nearby Victoria Gardens on the west to Walmart and furniture to the east, not far from Fontana.
In the old days of wine in Cucamonga, the homes and buildings of predominantly Italian wine growing families stood in this place, surrounded by some 30,000 acres of grapes.
Marcel Schiro descends from one such great winemaking family, and a plaque honoring these families can be found at the retail center visible from the freeway, marked by the Guitar Center sign. He only recently found the plaque, after searching for two years.
Filling stations, garages, small retail wineries, and vintners’ homes all faced the old two-lane Foothill Blvd. – that most popular and heavily traveled thoroughfare also known as Route 66. The Guidera and DiCarlo family homes were relocated in 1922 and the remainder of the buildings were demolished after being architecturally and photographically documented.”
How did you feel after finally locating the plaque?
“First it was a feeling of excitement because of my two-year search. Second, I felt a connection to the history of my family, it’s role in the forming of the community and the legitimacy of all the hard work of those early pioneers... as well as a deep feeling of pride.”
What memories do you have about your family’s grape growing?
“There’s an overwhelming flood of memories. As a child, listening to the stories of my grandfathers (Mike Schiro and Nat Di Carlo) immigrating from Sicily as teenagers, coming to America alone, speaking only Italian, looking for a better life. Then settling in Etiwanda and taking on the difficult task of farming grapes.
I remember my grandfathers, each owning separate vineyards, would come in from disk-plowing - covered in dust and dirt and saying how much they loved and cared for their land and vines.
Large family gatherings under the old elm tree in the yard adjacent to the fields. The adults speaking in the magical language of their homeland, myself and all my young cousins chasing jack rabbits through the grapevines taller than us. Canning pasta sauce, tomatoes, olives and apricots. The roadside fruit and vegetable stands the kids would work, the grape harvests and the homemade vinegar and wine.
They didn’t have anything given to them and worked tirelessly to eke out a living.
But most of all I remember the importance of family that my grandparents instilled in us kids. The unconditional love that came and the pride of our Italian heritage.”
Your thoughts?
“We live in much different times and with unique challenges. What a debt we owe to those who came before us to build what we now have. I strongly suggest that anyone who doesn’t know the history of the communities (Etiwanda, Alta Loma, Cucamonga) of what is now known as Rancho Cucamonga get educated. I guarantee your appreciation and love for the land will be greatly increased.”
Gino L. Filippi is a fourth-generation Cucamonga Valley vintner. Send wine comments and questions to Ginoffvine@aol.com.
Marcel Schiro and plaque
In this the southern portion of the historic town of Etiwanda, the Campanella, Colombero, DiCarlo, Guidera and Schiro families forged a community based on shared cultural background, faith, and way of life. These individuals pioneered the growing of grapes and the making and selling of wine in the eastern portion of the Cucamonga agricultural region in the 1920s and 1930s.
Filling stations, garages, small retail wineries, and vintners’ homes all faced the then twolane Foothill Blvd – that most popular and heavily traveled thoroughfare also known as Route 66.The Guidera and DiCarlo family homes were relocated in 1922 and the remainder of the buildings were demolished after being architecturally and photographically documented.
