179 Tour Forestiere Underground Gardens The fascinating story of this Fresno wonderland began in 1901 when a young Sicilian immigrant made his way west with hopes of building a citrus empire. But after purchasing 80 acres in the San Joaquin Valley, Baldassare Forestiere discovered that a deep layer of hardpan rock would prevent his trees from taking root. Undeterred, he hatched a plan: Using only hand tools and the help of his mules, Forestiere excavated the rock to create an underground lair where his fruit would 132 | VISITCALIFORNIA.COM have access to richer soil and cool relief from the Central Valley sun. Over 40 years, Forestiere created a sunken wonderland with nearly 100 chambers and passageways. Today, visitors can access Forestiere's masterpiece-a California State Historical Landmark-through a onehour tour. Learn about his creative mind as you explore below-ground spaces like a dining room, glass-bottomed aquarium, and gardens that hold more than 40 varieties of fruit-bearing trees. PREVIOUS SPREAD: ARAVIND KRISHNASWAMY; THIS PAGE: BUYENLARGE/GETTY IMAGES central valleyhttp://tqr.bz/S2j http://www.VISITCALIFORNIA.COM