My Italian great grandfather was a Progressive Miner and my great grandmother was in the auxiliary. Both Italian immigrants living in Benld. My mom remembers the auxiliary women in their white uniforms making Fiadoni (baked cheese puffs from Abruzzo) for their meetings. My grandfather of Irish ancestry worked for the United Mine Workers. He thought John Lewis was a hero, my great grandfather thought he was the devil. He died never knowing his son-in-law was a UMWA man.
Oh wow, that's all so fascinating! I'd like to think our great grandfathers crossed paths either in the mines or in Benld. Did you grow up eating bagna cauda?
My Italian great grandfather was a Progressive Miner and my great grandmother was in the auxiliary. Both Italian immigrants living in Benld. My mom remembers the auxiliary women in their white uniforms making Fiadoni (baked cheese puffs from Abruzzo) for their meetings. My grandfather of Irish ancestry worked for the United Mine Workers. He thought John Lewis was a hero, my great grandfather thought he was the devil. He died never knowing his son-in-law was a UMWA man.
Oh wow, that's all so fascinating! I'd like to think our great grandfathers crossed paths either in the mines or in Benld. Did you grow up eating bagna cauda?
https://unseenstlouis.substack.com/p/bagna-cauda-croatians-and-benld-il
(This is where this whole dive into Benld history began for me over three years ago!)
Another great story! Thanks for these! My mom has made bagna cauda a few times for us.