Local Italians celebrate Verrazzano in Rehoboth Beach

It’s been 500 years since Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano explored much of what is now America’s eastern seaboard in 1524.

Officials from Rehoboth Beach, the Delaware Commission on Italian Heritage and Culture, the Rehoboth Beach Sister Cities Association, and the Rehoboth-area chapter of UNICO gathered April 17 at the Verrazzano Monument in Rehoboth to celebrate. UNICO is an Italian American service organization.

The Italian heritage commission erected the monument in 2008 at the Boardwalk end of Olive Avenue.

Rehoboth Beach Mayor Stan Mills opened the program with an official proclamation.

Retired Delaware State Archivist Russ McCabe, the keynote speaker, said the knowledge learned from Verrazzano’s trip up the coast was hugely valuable. Prior to his exploration, there was no real knowledge of what the land looked like from Florida to Canada, he said.

McCabe has studied the late explorer’s notes to the king. He said he can’t confirm it, but he’s willing to suggest that Verrazzano may have come ashore in the Fenwick Island area.

In addition to the Italian organizations, members of the Italian classes from Cape Henlopen High School participated in the placement of a wreath at the monument. Nicola Pizza provided pizza.

Since 2010, Rehoboth has been a sister city with Greve-in-Chianti, an Italian city near Florence and believed to be the birthplace of Verrazzano. Representatives from both cities have visited each other numerous times over the years.

In 2013, the Rehoboth Beach Sister Cities Association spearheaded the Garden of the Navigators project on the corner of Olive Avenue and Third Street. Earlier this year, a terracotta fountain from Italian artist Enzo Zago was installed in the garden.