Simon Rodia
Encyclopedia
Sabato "Simon" Rodia was an Italian-American architect
. Rodia created the Watts Towers
, one of the most famous landmarks in Los Angeles
.
Rodia was born and raised in Serino, Italy
. He emigrated to the United States
with his brother at the age of 15; the two first lived in Pennsylvania
until the latter died in a mining incident. Rodia then moved to Seattle, Washington
, where he married Lucia Ucci in 1902. The couple moved to California and resided in Oakland
, where Rodia's three children were born. Following his divorce from Ucci in 1912, he relocated to Long Beach
and worked odd jobs before settling in Watts in 1920.
He began construction of the Watts Towers in 1921, but did not finish them until 1954. They were frequently vandalized by neighbors; Rodia cited this as his reason for moving to Martinez
, where he remained until his death on July 16, 1965. Generally, it is believed that Rodia never returned to Watts after moving away from the city.
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
. Rodia created the Watts Towers
Watts Towers
The Watts Towers or Towers of Simon Rodia in the Watts district of Los Angeles, California, is a collection of 17 interconnected structures, two of which reach heights of over 99 feet . The Towers were built by Italian immigrant construction worker Sabato Rodia in his spare time over a period of...
, one of the most famous landmarks in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Biography
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with his brother at the age of 15; the two first lived in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
until the latter died in a mining incident. Rodia then moved to Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, where he married Lucia Ucci in 1902. The couple moved to California and resided in Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, where Rodia's three children were born. Following his divorce from Ucci in 1912, he relocated to Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
and worked odd jobs before settling in Watts in 1920.
He began construction of the Watts Towers in 1921, but did not finish them until 1954. They were frequently vandalized by neighbors; Rodia cited this as his reason for moving to Martinez
Martinez, California
Martinez is a city and the county seat of Contra Costa County, California, United States. The population was 35,824 at the 2010 census. The downtown is notable for its large number of preserved old buildings...
, where he remained until his death on July 16, 1965. Generally, it is believed that Rodia never returned to Watts after moving away from the city.
Legacy
A photograph of Simon Rodia is included on the cover of the Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, released in 1967. The public Simon Rodia Continuation High School in Watts is named for him.See also
- I Build the TowerI Build the TowerI Build the Tower is a feature-length documentary film depicting the life of Sabato Rodia , the Italian immigrant who created the Watts Towers in South Los Angeles....
- Ferdinand ChevalFerdinand ChevalFerdinand Cheval was a French postman who spent thirty-three years of his life building Le Palais Idéal in Hauterives...
- Enoch Tanner WickhamEnoch Tanner WickhamEnoch Tanner Wickham , 1882–1970, was a self-taught folk artist who built life-size concrete statues along a rural road in Palmyra, Tennessee. Wickham began his creations in 1950 at the age of 67 after retiring from being a tobacco farmer and raising nine children.The first statue Wickham built was...
- Justo Gallego MartínezJusto Gallego MartínezJusto Gallego Martínez is a former monk who has been erecting a cathedral-like building in the Spanish village of Mejorada del Campo since 1961.-Life and inspiration:...
External links
- Photo documentary of Watts Towers at Blurrylens.com
- Art Junction site on the Watts Towers
- PBS article
- Simon Rodia - Great Buildings Online
- Watts Towers web site -- photo of Simon Rodia.
- Rodia's Watts Towers - Photo documentary of the towers and the ruins of Rodia's house, with new biographical information.