KING OF GRAPES....PETER
DIVIZICH
By Adam S. Eterovich
This
is a testimonial to the American Dream. It is the story of a young Croatian
emigrant who came to America in the 1920's and single-handedly parlayed a
passport and a few hard earned dollars into a multimillion dollar vineyard
empire of national and international. fame.
His
name is Peter John Divizich, a legendary figure in California's San Joaquin
Valley, one who turned a wasteland of sand and tumbleweed into a productive
farmland and left an indelible imprint on the progress of American agriculture.
Peter,
or Pete, as he is generally known, was born on June 16, 1897, in the small
village of Gruda in Konavli, east of Dubrovnik, in the Republic of
Croatia.
As
a boy, Peter Divizich had been the proud possessor of a subscription to four
Croatian newspapers, a gift of a generous uncle. Peter read avidly, acquainting
himself with the events happening in his homeland and in the world, in general.
From his youthful perspective, certain English speaking countries appealed to
him. Now, at home, the dream took shape. He would go, God willing, to either
Canada, New Zealand, Australia or America.
He
decided on America. Others of his nationality had gone there and had made out.
There had been letters.
In
such fashion did a 23 year old Croatian emigrant climb down the gangplank from
the steamer that slid past the Statue of Liberty on a cold November day and
docked in New York. There was a dream of vineyards ... and Westward was the
dream.
Largest Contiguous Vineyard
in the World
The
P.J. Divizich vineyards in California are operated as a fully integrated
enterprise involving the growing, storing, shipment and marketing of a wide
variety of grapes. The vineyards are located on approximately 6000 contiguous acres of ground. The operations are served by complete packing
house and cold storage facilities. A rural community consisting of dormitories,
multiple unit homes and single farm houses are all located on portions of the
property. An extensive maintenance shop to provide for all normal requirements,
including major mechanical overhauls of the extensive fleet of farm equipment,
including tractors, trucks and buses all owned and operated by the ranch, is
also owned and operated on the property. Twenty-seven major irrigation wells
with production averaging 100 gallons per minute each are available for service
of water through an extensive system of irrigation pipelines to allow service
of water to the total acreage. All lands are connected by the ranch pipe-lines excepting
a block of 260 acres located within and served by the Delano -Earlimart
Irrigation District.
Peter had the largest vineyard and
orchard operation as an individual in California. Peter was raising twenty commercial
varieties of grapes and was experimenting with fifteen other types. His Crystal
grapes, an early, sturdy, white fruit, which he had experimentally developed
over seven years, were finding popular markets in Hong Kong and Singapore. With
the California Fruit Exchange acting as his marketing agency, Peter was selling
his grapes widely throughtout the United States. The Divizich
"Highland" brand was being shipped to Hong Kong, Singapore, Penang,
Manila, Venezuela, Brazil, Cuba, Costa Rica and other South and Central America
countries.
Divizich, Peter J. “Offers to Sell
Vineyard to Howard Hughes.” Private
Document, May 12, 1966. Divizich Fruit Corporation largest vineyard in the
world.
Eterovich, Adam S. “King of Grapes in
San Joaquin Valley, California-Peter Divizich.” Croatian American Times, September 12, 2000. Largest vineyard in
the world.
Foley, H. A. They Called Him King of The Grapes. Delano, California: Peter
DIvizich, 1976. Largest vineyard in the world. California.
SF Examiner. “Grape Grower Wins
400,000.” S.F. Examiner, December 22,
1971.Peter Divizich awarded by court. Vineyard and wine.