IMMIGRANT SQUARE
Immigrant Square is a square created to represent those who have immigrated to Clinton. In 1971, the statue of a man, was created. Later, a coal fountain was constructed in front of Immigrant Statue. The Bull's head, also called Il Toro, is a drinking fountain created in Italy.
The Immigrant Square is one of the most unique and picturesque locations in the Wabash Valley, and it is loaded with historic dedication. Thanks to the personal efforts of Joe and Josephine Airola, and a lot of planning by the LIFT board of directors, the special Immigrant Statue was designed in 1969 and created in Italy in 1970 by sculptor Carlo Avenatti. He is not related to any of the Avenattis who live in the Clinton area. During 1970 the Airolas visited Italy to oversee the statue’s construction progress, and they made visits twice weekly to the sculptor’s working area. The project to commemorate the “old country” stirred interest in six Italian newspapers which ran pictures of Joe and the statue. The Airolas even accompanied the crated statue on the ship back to the United States. After the statue arrived in Terre Haute by truck, Joe, in his familiar beige-colored Ford pickup, brought the statue back to its final resting place inClinton. With the help of Dario Berto, Don Bonomo and Ernie Gillio, the statue was safely unloaded in one of Joe’s garages and then uncrated. Also accompanying the Airola’s back on the return trip was an authentic bull’s head fountain from Torino, Italy. Even though “nobody was supposed to have one of these but Torino,” Joe and a relative in Italy persuaded Torino’s mayor to grant permission to use the pattern. A new one was cast especially for Clinton’s Immigrant Square. Dedication of the statue, which represents the many foreign immigrants who came to Clinton from 1900 to 1930, was on May 30, 1971. Along with it were flown 28 specially manufactured flags representing the countries and the nationalities of the Clinton area inhabitants. Joe himself unveiled the new bronze statue, and for years he single-handedly maintained the entire Immigrant Square in all its glory. “He took care of the entire square for years,” LIFT president Mick Cappa said today. “LIFT didn’t have to worry about it for years until the summer of 1986 when Joe began to feel he physically could not do it anymore.” He still continued coaching us with his knowledge, Cappa added. If he could, the image on the Immigrant Statue would take off his hat and hold it over his heart. Clinton, and everyone, will miss its only Cavaliere of the Republic of Italy. Joe was, and always will be Clinton’s “Knight.” Article by G.B. “Sonny” Carey, The Daily Clintonian, December 31, 1987
The installations in the square include the following:
• Flags of Many Nations, which represent the thirty nationalities of the early immigrants
• The Immigrant statue dedicated to the immigrants
• Toro, the Bull fountain from Torino, Italy.
• Coal Fountain dedicated to the early coal miners of Clinton.
Address
1270 N 9th St, Clinton, IN 47842, USA
