Alfedena and the Earthquake in Abruzzo

I have been asked many times how Alfedena faired in the recent earthquake centered in L'Aquila. Alfedena was spared damage, however, some nerves were frayed. Hopefully northern Abruzzo recovers quickly from this tragedy.

08/24/08 Picnic

The Loyal Wing Club, is having their annual picnic at Dodge Park, Sterling Heights, MI on 08/24/08. This is the club for those of us who claim ancestry to Alfedena, Italy. Come if you can!

History of Alfedena

The history of Alfedena is well attested by the excavations, which started in 1885 with A. De Nino, and in 1897 the civic Museum was organized. During World War II, the collection was recovered at Chieti and is still waiting to be returned to Alfedena to be housed in a proper building. The artifacts consist mainly of bronze coins, arms, medals, ornaments and assorted ceramic vases, all recovered from the more than 1500 tombs excavated in the Roman necropolis in what is now Viale della Stazione, the road that leads to the railroad station.

Aufidena (Alfedena) was the capital of the Caraceni, a tribe of the Samnites and was situated north of the present main square on the left side of the Rio Torto, the small stream that divides the town. The remaining megalithic walls, about a mile long, are seen together with distinct evidence of the acropolis. It is interesting to know that of the original Italian tribes, which tried to block the expansion of Rome, the Samnites were the only ones, which actually defeated the Roman legions. In 321 B.C., at the Forche Caudine, the Romans were made to pass under a yoke. However, victory was short-lived. Aufidena was conquered by the roman consul Gneo Fulvio and by 272 B.C. Rome was master of what is now central and most of southern Italy. Aufidena became a faithful roman colony.

The Loyal Wing Club

The Loyal Wing Club english translation of *alfedena*, is a club in Clinton Township, MI that was originally founded by emigrants from the village. Many of the founders of the club are in their 80s now.

Alfadenese in the USA

There are thousands of alfedenese in the USA. Many emigrated to Detroit, MI. and spread out to the surrounding suburbs.

One, William J. Giovan, is the Chief Judge of the 3rd Circuit Court in Wayne County Michigan. There are probation officers, tile workers, cement workers, and veterans of the US military.

If you know of more, please let us know.

calderone@wideopenwest.com

Google Maps of Alfedena

If you go to Google maps, they have upgraded their site, and now it is possible to get a good overhead view of Alfedena. I can pick out the church in town and our family home there.

The most complete list of surnames currently found in Alfedena, Italy (that I could find)

AGOSTINACCHIO * ALLEGRETTI * AMOROSI * ANDRISANI * ANTONELLI * AVALLONE * AVENIA * AVERSA * BALESTRIERI * BARATTI * BECCHIA * BELARDO * BELLANTONIO * BELLI * BIANCHI * BIANCONE * BIONDI DE AMICIS * BOCCARDI * BOCCIA * BORRELLI * BRANCHETTI * BRUNETTI * BUTTARELLI * CACCIATORE * CALDARI * CALDIERO * CALVANI * CALVANO * CAMPANA * CANIGLIA * CAPPELLETTI STOPPONI * CAPPELLI * CAPUTO * CARBONE * CAROSELLI * CASELLATO * CAVALCA * CHIRICHELLA * CIALONE * CIAMARRA * CIMINI * CIOTOLA * COCCHI * COLANGELO * COLICCHIO * COLONNA * COSTRINI * COVELLI * COZZUTO * CRISPI * CRUGNALE * D'ADDARIO * D'AMANZIO * D'AMICO * D'ANDREA * D'IPPOLITO * D'ONOFRIO * D'ORAZIO * DE AMICIS * DE BONA * DE CAPRIO * DE CONCILIO * DE LUCA D'AMATO * DE LUCIA * DE MARTINO * DE RENZIS * DE SANCTIS * DE SANTIS * DEL PRETE * DEL TREPPO * DEL VECCHIO * DELLE CAVE * DI BARTOLOMEO * DI COSMO * DI CRISTOFARO * DI DOMENICO * DI FALCO * DI FAUSTO * DI FILIPPO * DI FRANCO * DI GIAMPIETRO * DI GIOVANNANTONIO * DI GIROLAMO * DI GIULIO * DI IANNI * DI LAURA * DI LEONARDO * DI LORETO * DI MARCO * DI MICHELE * DI NELLA * DI PALMA * DI TANNA * DI VALERIO * DI VIRGILIO * DIANA * DONATUCCI * EVANGELISTA * FALCIONE DI DOMENICO * FAVINO * FERRETTI * FLAMINI * FORTUNATO * FUSCO * GAGLIARDI * GENTILE * GIANGRANDE * GIGANTE * GIORGETTI * GLORI * GRAMAGLIA * GRASSO * GRAVINA * GRILLO IANDOLI * GROSSI * GUARINO * IACOBUCCI * IMPRODA * ITRI * LA ROCCA * LANNI * LANNO * LANZA * LE DONNE * LEGGE * LEONE * LEONI * LIBERATORE * LIBONATI * LOMBARDI * LOMBARDO * LOMBARDOZZI * LONGO * MADAMA * MADDAMMA * MANNA * MANTI DE AMICIS * MARCELLI * MARIANI * MARONE DE AMICIS * MARZANO * MASTROGIORGIO * MAZZI * MELONE * MENNELLA * MERCURI * MESCHINO * MICHETTI * MILANO * MONACELLI * MONALDI * MORESI * MUSILLI * NAPOLI * NENNI * NERI * ORLANDO * PACIONI * PAGLIA * PALLOTTO * PANTANELLA * PAONE * PAPARELLI * PAPPONETTI * PARIS * PASSARELLI * PELLEGRINO * PERROTTA * PERSIA * PETRARCA * PETROCELLI * PETRUCELLI * PEZZUTI * PIROZZI * POLESE * POLLICELLA * POMPEI * PUGLIESE * QUARANTA * RAFALA' * RAMAGLIETTI * RAMPONE * RANIERI * RITA * ROMITO * ROSSI * SALTARELLI * SARRA * SCARNECCHIA * SCARPELLI * SCIULLO * SCONCI * SCOTTI GALLETTA * SCUDIERI * SEBASTIANI * SEGHETTI * SILVESTRI * SIMONELLI * SIMONI * SIRAVO * SORA' * SOTIS * SOZIO * SPADA * STERPETTI * STRAZZULLO * TARANTINO * TECCA * TOLLIS * TURCO * URZINI * VAIRA DE BLASIO * VALENTE * VALENTINI * VALERI * VARCHETTA * VARRIALE * VENTRIGLIA * VERNACCHIO * VERNILLO * VIRGILIO * VITALE * VITOLO * ZACCAGNINI * ZANCARLI * ZATTERA * ZEI