European and European American Ingenuity

[Tom Cat]

The following European, and European American men dedicated a great deal of their time, thoughts, and physical energy to designing and creating impressive architectural structures with just their own blood, sweat, tears, and creative imaginations… Why, one might be inclined to wonder?

French postman, Ferdinand Cheval (1836-1924) created his “Ideal Palace“, located in Hauterives, France with stones he gathered on his mail route over the years. He even created his own mausoleum, where his body was eventually entombed.




http://web.france.com/landmarks/The_Ideal_Palace_of_Cheval_Postman

Latvian immigrant, Edward Leedskalnin (1887-1951) created Coral Castle, located in Homestead, Florida.




http://www.labyrinthina.com/coral.htm

Ordained minister, Horace Burgess, created the world’s tallest treehouse, located in Crossville, Tennessee.



http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/10/29/worlds-tallest-treehouse-came-in-a-vision/

Jim Bishop started creating his artistic labor of love, known as Bishop’s Castle in 1969, located near Rye, Colorado.



http://citynoise.org/article/846

Allegedly, the five-foot tall, 120 pound Ed Leedskalnin suffered from the affects of unrequited love, due to being abandoned on what was to be his wedding day in his Latvian homeland. Ed then began a journey that led him across Europe, where I think he saw Ferdinand Cheval’s Ideal Palace, which inspired him to later create the Coral Castle. But, this is just my unsubstantiated theory.

I have also developed my own theories about the supposedly mysterious tourist attraction called Coral Castle that would definitely dispel any mysteries involving Ed’s masterpiece. But, keeping the mysteries alive has proven to be profitable for him, and especially each of the successive owners. Nevertheless Coral Castle is an amazing piece of work.

Horace Burgess claims he was inspired by the Good Lord to create his 97’ tall masterpiece that is constructed mostly of scrap wood.

Jim Bishop might have come to terms with his mistrust, if not hatred of the government, but his beautiful castle of stone, and wrought iron stands as a testament to his will to overcome adversity. And, from what I've gathered, this man is not the least bit shy about inflicting his politically incorrect opinions on those who visit his domain.

Whatever motivated these four otherwise ordinary to create these magnificent, if not artistic monuments, they are a positive testament to what can be achieved with determination combined with a creative imagination.
__________________

[Bloodeagle]

The Underground Gardens are the life-long devotion and
hobby of Baldassare Forestiere (1879-1946), a Sicilian
immigrant who came to America in 1901 to escape the iron
rule of his wealthy father and pursue his own dreams. The
Gardens are a subterranean complex of patios, grottos, and
garden courts interconnecting with passageways that
encircle the living quarters of the self-taught artist and builder
who sought to escape the brutal heat of Fresno summers.

Forestiere patterned his underground world after the ancient
catacombs, which he so admired as a boy. Arches and
passageways dominate the underground landscape while the
stonework provides stability and beauty. But unlike the dark
catacombs that protected the remnants of the lifeless,
Forestiere designed well-lit courtyards and grottos to bring
forth the radiance and vitality of life.

No plans were put on paper; each room and passageway
originated in Forestiere’s mind as he worked. With the simple
tools of a farmer—a pick, a shovel, and a wheelbarrow—the
young immigrant dug, chipped, and carved the unforgiving
hardpan land for 40 years (1906-1946) in his spare time. By
the time he was 44 years-old, he had excavated and planted
over 10 acres.

But the humble immigrant’s genius did not stop there.
Incredibly, Forestiere planted multiple varieties of fruit-bearing
plants at different underground levels. Oranges, lemons,
grapefruits—many on a single tree—as well as more unusual
varieties like kumquat, loquat, jujube, strawberry, quince, and
dates could be easily plucked from the surface by simply
bending down. Wine and table grapes also grace this
sanctuary, and dangle lusciously in great clumps every-
where---truly an oasis in a modern-day desert of pavement.

[YOUTUBE]05g3kEawI6Y[/YOUTUBE]

[Bloodeagle]

The Watts Towers or Towers of Simon Rodia in the Watts district of Los Angeles, California, is a collection of 17 interconnected structures, two of which reach heights of over 99 feet (30 m). The Towers were built by Italian immigrant construction worker Sabato ("Sam" or "Simon") Rodia in his spare time over a period of 33 years, from 1921 to 1954. The work is an example of non-traditional vernacular

[YOUTUBE]zaIloDyhg90[/YOUTUBE]

[Grey]

Nice title. Fuck all non-American colonials.

I would like to see the Coral Castle, by the way. And I always liked the story behind Brunelleschi's dome.

[Eldritch]

[YOUTUBE]zaIloDyhg90[/YOUTUBE]

As of the 2001 census, total population in the district was 34,830. Ethnically, 60.8% of residents were Latino, 38.0% African American, 0.6% European American, 0.1% Asian, and 0.6% other races.

I'm rather amazed that the towers are still standing.

[Bloodeagle]

I'm rather amazed that the towers are still standing.

What, that would take too much work to tear them down.
Kidding aside, Watts is a really bad neighborhood, and if you can see the towers you had better be watching them as you drive past on the Harbor FWY.
My uncle was a L.A. county sheriffs deputy during the 1965 Watts riots. His assignment was to give the fire trucks armed escort into the riots. The rioters where shooting at the firemen. "Burn, Baby! BURN!" was their slogan.

[Tom Cat]

This is another imaginative creation called Rubel Castle.


http://tours.rubelcastle.org/