Sign of the times

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Although the face of the Italian Market has changed significantly over the last century, it was and remains a place for many cultures to intermingle.

In October 2007, the market garnered historic status and had a seven-foot-high marker unveiled on the corner of Ninth and Christian streets by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, solidifying its distinction as the oldest open-air market in the country.

Last Monday, the corner of Ninth and Montrose streets became home to another marker, this time purchased by the founding families of the 11-block span from Wharton to Fitzwater streets.

The two resemble each other, but have several differences, most noticeable of which are the titles. The newer is headed with "The Italian Market" while the one at Ninth and Christian is titled "South 9th Street Curb Market."

The wording of the latter was thought to be the reason for its defacing less than two weeks after being unveiled and again on Christmas morning. It’s been repaired since, but local historian Celeste Morello saw a need for another homage to the culturally significant site.

"When the official historical marker went up last year, there were a lot of disgruntled people who didn’t understand Italians only made up one-third of the Italian Market," she said, adding the wording didn’t cause friction among any of the merchants or those in the Ninth Street Businessmen’s Association. "With all this damage around, I thought that in the future something should be done at the [Frank] Rizzo mural for tourists — for them to have pictures taken with something that said ‘The Italian Market.’"

Morello came up with the idea in May and took contributions from those who responded to her inquiries — all of them members of the founding families. The cast-aluminum marker bears the name of the first 14 to contribute. Standing 10-feet high, it’s black with silver text Morello wrote based on her research of the area.

"It’s important to include who the ethnic groups were," she said of mentions on the new marker of Northern and Eastern European immigrants, as well as Lebanese and Asian members of the 93-year-old business association. "The official historic marker was very vague as to who founded it. People think of the market as solely Italian. You have to look at its origins — who was living and working in the market then. Italians made up only one-third of the population [then]. We know there was at least one Chinese laundry here. It’s important to include Eastern Europeans and Asians. People wanted to see the word ‘Italian’ [on the historic marker]. This is supposed to suffice."

Aside from offering a brief history on the market, the new marker has instilled a sense of pride and nostalgia.

"I got a little teary-eyed," Charles Giunta Jr. said of seeing the marker for the first time. He and brother Martin contributed to have their family names — their mother was a Bonuomo — appear on the plaque.

"It was an emotional few minutes there," the resident of 13th and Tasker streets said of the first time he went by to see it, as there was no formal ceremony.

The spot holds significance for his family’s history as the location of his father’s childhood home and his maternal grandfather’s meat business were within feet of the marker.

"My brother and myself have always felt like a part of the Italian Market. We grew up there, we lived there, our grandfathers and father had businesses there. That connection I felt was the reason I wanted to contribute," he said.

Once the 14 families signed on, Morello had the structure made at a local foundry. A city permit was obtained and the Streets Department installed it.

"I wanted the names to be distinguished," Morello, who incorporated elements of Victorian design to match the original architectural style of the market, said. "I wanted these people to be really noticed."

Where the sign meets the pole there are cast-iron aluminum forks and spoons with wire wrapped around them that symbolizes spaghetti — adding a sense of fun to the marker that sits below the mural of Rizzo.

"A person can create their own postcard if they pose in front of it to get their picture taken. That was the whole intent," Morello said.