CROATIAN AMERICANS AND BRIDGES

Adam S. Eterovich

Croatian Americans were involved in the building or creation of four great bridges in America. They participated in the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro, the George Washington Bridge in New York and the Verrazano Bridge in New York.

Vincent Thomas-Tomasevich Bridge

One of the most monumental constructions in California beside the famous Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, is The Vincent Thomas Bridge, the suspension bridge in San Pedro. The bridge is about 2 kilometers long. Since 1940, it connects San Pedro - the harbor of Los Angeles - with city and harbor of Long Beach. Across Terminal Island it leads to big industrial suburbs of Wilmington and to two highways, Harbor and Long Beach Freeway. Before the bridge was built in 1940, the only connection to this directions was the ferry line across the harbor bay or other roundabout routs. The bridge was named in honor of assemblyman Vincent Thomas, the state deputy of San Pedro County, who was the most committed proponent in the bridge construction.

Thomas parents (father Vicko Thomas - Tomasevich and mother born in Bobovisca, Island Brac, Dalmatia, Croatia) came to America in 1903. They had eight children, and Vincent was their third child born in Biloxi, Mississippi. In Biloxi still live a considerable Croatian population. In 1918 the family moved to San Pedro, California. Shortly after that, the father died of Spanish flu. Upon finishing the high school he graduated political science at the University in Santa Clara. After that he also graduated law at the Loyola University. He did not open his own practice, but found a job in the fish factory "French Sardine". The factory was owned by Martin J. Bogdanovich from the Island of Vis. This big plant is still operating under the name of "Star Kist Tuna". While with the factory, Vincent Thomas was encouraged to engage himself in politics. He won at the elections for the California State deputy of San Pedro and became very popular and successful. Therefore he held this position for 38 years. He was reelected nineteen times in a row, more than any other politician before. Since 1922, the construction project of underwater tunnel between industrial suburb and harbor of Los Angeles has been considered. Due to Vincent Thomas efforts, it was finally decided to build a bridge instead of a tunnel. On May 28, 1960, the Governor of California Edmund G. Brown opened the construction site. The construction work was completed in just three years and the bridge was opened on September 28, 1963. One of the guests of the ceremony there was Wiliam J. Jurkovich, the chief architect of the bridge construction project who is also of Croatian origin. Contributed by Jerry Simich.

Sam Milin-Milon Painter Golden Gate Bridge

The symbol of San Francisco is the Golden Gate Bridge. It was the longest suspension bridge in the world. The clear span is measured between two arches above the sea surface. The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is the biggest bridge in the world, taking into account its two arches on the entrances to the Bridge. It is a giant coast-to-coast bridge across the San Francisco Bay. The construction began in 1933 and it was completed four years later. The most interesting and barely known fact is that Croatians, mostly Dalmatians, had been working on the Bridge construction. They arrived directly from Dalmatia and it seems that only Sime Milin is still alive. His father Nikola Milin arrived in 1905 from his native Tribunj, near Sibenik, via New York to California. He was born in 1872. His brother Roko arrived afterwards, in 1906, and returned to Croatia in 1912. he came back again to California next year. Nikola returned home with his wife. However, the story of his son Sime Milin begins in 1921, when he arrived in California from Trieste on the merchant ship "Belvedere". He was 22 years old. At first he worked for 18 months in the sugar refinery in Crockett, California. Then he served his apprenticeship and start to earn as a house painter. At that time his countrymen invited him to work on the Golden Gate Bridge. Since he had family to feed, he accepted the job that might be dangerous for his life. As a foreman he was paid 65 dollars per week.

Dalmatian Crew on the Golden Gate Bridge

He remembers that the following Dalmatians were working with him on the Bridge: Chris Belich from the Island Ugljan, Sam Baturich from the Island of Iz, Mike Rugometich from Ugljan, and Peter Ban from Ston. He also remembers Joe Morovich, who lived in San Pedro and worked with molten iron. Morovich was 40 years old when he fell off the Bridge and was never seen again. Milin was working on the Bridge 11 years and one month. He and his workers have never had an accident. And their work was going on continuously, since once the painting of the Bridge was completed, it had to be repainted again. After the war, Milin returned to his contracting business. After his arrival in the USA he was a member of Croatian Union of the Pacific, Slavonic Society and Croatian Sokol. In 1942 he became a member of the Croatian Fraternal Union and he was the president of the lodge No. 61 for several years. Sam was married to Katie Begovich-Milon and had two sons, Sammy and Nicky.

Mate Angelich Bridge Builder

Mate "Mike" Angelich, aged 97, of Fort Salonga, Long Island, New York, died recently in Huntington (N. Y) Hospital. He was born September 8, 1902 in the village of Medici, Sinj, Croatia to Ante and Ruzica Andjelic. Mate came to the United States in the 1920's. One of his earliest jobs was that of a high iron worker. He was part of the construction crew that built the George Washington Bridge in New York City. He strung the suspension cables 600 feet above the Hudson River. At age 97, he was probably the last surviving member of the bridge's construction crew. He went to school in New York City to learn auto mechanics, and opened Grand Central Motors in Jackson Heights, Queens. Before permanently settling on Long Island 50 years ago he lived in Tucson, Arizona and Miami, Florida. Later, he expanded his business activities by opening Three Star Auto in Huntington, N.Y - an auto dealership that sold imported cars such as Borgwards, Daimlers, Singers and Morgans. He also owned Mike's Service Station in Northport. When he "retired", he began a nursery and raised thousands of beautiful azaleas, and made his own wine. He also took a strong interest in cow breeding at the family farm in New Hampshire. He was an active member ofthe Croatian New Yorker Club - where every year at the annual picnic he was responsible for the Bar-B-Que. He was one of the first people interviewed for the Croatian Fraternal Union - Croatian New Yorker Club Oral Histories Project. He is survived by his wife of 60 years Keti Angelich - former proprietor of Halesite Real Estate, son Michael and daughter-in-law Gail of Huntington, son Anton of New York City and New Hampshire. He leaves behind brothers Silvestar, Jure, Filip and sister Luce in Europe, along with many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He lived a very rich and full life, and was a very happy, caring and optimistic person. "He was unique, and one in a million!" Zajednicar, Anton Angelich.

Verrazano Narrows Bridge

When it opened in 1964, the Verrazano Narrows Bridge was the world's longest suspension span. Today, its length is surpassed only by the Humber Bridge in England. The ends of the bridge are at historic Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn and Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island, both of which guarded New York Harbor at the Narrows for over a century. The bridge was named after Giovanni da Verrazano, who, in 1524, was the first European explorer to sail into New York Harbor. New England was first called New Dalmatia. In a book by Jacques Habert on the voyages of Verrazano in French, a chapter heading is entitled: “La Dalmatie Da Nouveau Monde”. A book by Carlos Pazzini in Italian on the adventures of Verrazano we have : “ La Dalmazia Del Nuovo Mondo”. The American Scenic and Historical Society in a description of the American coast also has a heading: “Dalmatia of the New World”. B.F. DeCosta in his book on Verrazano in 1880 states: “Again, in speaking of the resemblance of a part of the American coast to the shores of the Adriatic, the Carli version reads, ‘the Adriatic gulf near Illyria and Dalmatia’, while Ramusio version says ‘Sclavonia and Dalmatia’. Further comment by DeCosta is most revealing in indentifying place names in the New World of America with place names in Dalmatia: “ The writer has already expressed the opinion, that certain names on the Verrazano Map have an Italian as well as French reference. This view has been strenghtened by a careful comparison of the map with the map of the coasts of Illyria and Dalmatia, reffered to in the Letter, and were found such names as ‘I. Cervi’, ’I. Lunga’, ’Belvidere’and ’Palmanuova’. Isola Lunga in Italian would be Dugi Otok in Croatian or Long Island in English – Long Island, New York City ! Other similarities to place names on the Croatian-Dalmatian Coast appear in Verranzano charts and manuscripts in conjuction with other mapmakers and voyages in the 1520’s, including Croatian meanings to place names. See: Eterovich, Adam S. Croatia in the New World: The Verrazano Voyages to America and Canada, 1523-1524. New England was first named New Dalmatia. There is a good probability that Verrazano was from Dalmatia and that his name was Vranjican.