My parents, Mario & Jennie Monno Ranelli, are in this film twice, at about the six minute point. Mario was born here on January 18, 1922. His birth certificate read #24 Phalen Creek. Salvatore, his father, arrived in 1911, then joined the Army for WW I. Then he went to Italy of find Concettina Di Nino & bring her in 1920 to Swede Hollow. No running water, no electricity & tar paper shacks & outhouses over the creek for sewage. Over 1,000 people. Mario took his parents to Italy to visit their big families in Corfinio & Abruzzo. Jennie's father was from Santa Lucia Del Mela, Sicily. The Monno's had 15 children in Cumberland, Wisconsin, w/ no running water or electricity until 1938. Jennie is 97. Salvatore & Concettina both lived 96 years & had moved up to 693 Bedford Street where their son lived until 2004.
I can't stop watching the kids on the tree at 7:10 :) Swede Hollow was way different when I hung out there in the 1980's - all the houses were gone. There were still train tracks though. We'd hop trains to get back and forth between Swede Hollow and Mounds Park.
I grew up on the 80s/90s going there. As kids it was a hang out spot away from adults. My dad and i would bike ride, stop and run down and up the stairs. Good memories.
My dad, Matthew Manocchio, grew up in Swede Hollow with his 5 sisters. The family moved up on the street and lived next door to the Sanchelli's. Fond memories!
A partner of Hamm's, His name was Keller, Originally built the brewery over artesian springs, Keller built it from a loan he got from Hamm. When Keller died, Hamm got the brewery, Hired Jacob Schmidt as his master brewer, and Hamm's Beer went on to become a big success. In the 1880's Schmidt had a falling out with the Hamm's Family, and went on to his own success with Schmidt's Brewing Company. Both brands are still being brewed today.
