THE GIAMFORTONES

In 1886, at the age of 45, Giuseppe Giamfortone Sr., along with his 25-year-old son Giuseppe (Joe), immigrated from Roccapalumba, Sicily to the United States. They came in through the port of New Orleans and settled in Bryan, Texas. They were farmers by trade.

In June of 1899, severe flooding caused the Brazos River to overflow its banks and inundated an estimated 12,000 square miles. Some locations put the total rainfall at over 33 inches. Damage to crops and property was estimated at more than $297.7 million (in today's dollars) and 284 persons were known to have perished in the floodwaters. Thousands of others were left homeless.

Joe Giamfortone and pregnant wife Rosie were among those who lost everything in the devastating floods. Having heard of a promising new Italian settlement near Galveston, they loaded up their 4 children; Anthony 12, John 6, Sam 4, and Frank 1, into a covered wagon and made the arduous 130-mile journey to Dickinson. Here they would find their home. They would work the strawberry fields and help Dickinson become, at that time, the strawberry capital of the world. They would also become local business owners, such as real estate, barber shops, pool hall, night clubs and restaurants. Probably the most well-known of these was the Rose Garden Cafe, located on Hwy 3 just south of Deats road. It was a restaurant and nightclub, among other things, and was a very popular hot spot for people traveling to and from Houston and Galveston in search of a plate of spaghetti, a cold beer and perhaps a card game.



Joe and Rosie Giamfortone would go on to have 5 more children - Charles, Mary, Lena, Joe, Pauline - and countless grandchildren. They undoubtedly would be proud to know that over 120 years later, they still have great-great- great grandchildren living here.