This Fresno, Calif., treasure hides in plain sight along a bustling street with a freeway and train tracks nearby.
Look closely and you still might not spot the signs indicating you’ve found the Forestiere Underground Gardens.
But this historic landmark in northwest Fresno surely is there. It’s been there for more than 100 years.
Regularly topping the charts of things to visit in Fresno, the Forestiere Underground Gardens are commonly considered the city’s most popular site to see.
“We do have big signs up, but for some reason, people don’t always see them,” said Shera Franzman, the Forestiere Underground Gardens director of operations. “We don’t have a whole lot at the ground levels.
“The real magic starts when you go underground.”
The unique underground attraction draws an average of 40,000 visitors each year, with the majority of them coming from out of town.
Many local residents, meanwhile, either have forgotten, or simply haven’t taken the time to find and explore this hidden gem.
Are the Forestiere Underground Gardens worth checking out?
For those who considered themselves proud to be from and live in Fresno, the Forestiere Underground Gardens just might be a must-visit destination.
Underground garden tour guides help tell the story of creator Baldassare Forestiere and his self-made underground residence that once stretched as wide as 20 acres (down to 2 1/2 acres today) and remains as deep as 25 feet in some spots.
Among Forestiere’s reasons for building an underground home is a motivation many Fresnans might be able to relate to — escaping the Central California summer heat.
“How many other cities are there that can say they have an underground home?” Franzman said. “And this one was built by one man.
“It’s good to know the unique things about your city. And to really understand and appreciate this unique part of Fresno, people who grew up here and live here should really visit the Forestiere Underground Gardens.
“Even if you’ve visited here before, we’ve expanded access to where visitors can go underground compared to like 10 years ago,” Franzman added. “You might learn something new or retain different information.”
Among the features of the underground complex is the vegetation, like orange trees that have thrived, growing some 10 to 20 feet below the ground level and sprouting beyond the subterranean structures.
There also are various pathways that make it seem like you’re entering tunnels, as each leads to a different adventure.
One of the pathways is wide enough to fit a car from the early 1900s and leads to the ground level of arguably Fresno’s busiest street: Shaw Avenue.
One hallway leads to a massive underground ballroom.
And there’s another walkway that goes to an underground pond used to help keep fish fresh before eating.
“There wasn’t electricity underground when Baldassare first started working on his place,” Franzman said. “It wasn’t until the 1930s that he was able to install electricity down here.”
Also on display is the underground garden creator’s bedroom, featuring a built-in nook for his bed.
Forestiere, who worked on the underground complex from 1906 up until his death in 1946, built the entire area by simply using a pickax.
He never used dynamite.
“When people see Baldassare Forestiere’s work, we hope it makes them feel proud of this piece of Fresno history and inspired by what one person’s determination can accomplish,” Franzman said.
