Simon Rodia
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| Sabato Rodia | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 12, 1879 Ribottoli, Serino, AV, Italy [1] |
| Died | June 16, 1965 (aged 86) |
| Other names | Simon, Sam |
| Known for | Watts Towers |
Sabato "Simon" (or "Sam" to his friends) Rodia (1879–16 June 1965) was an Italian immigrant to the United States who spent much of his adulthood living in Los Angeles, California. Rodia lived in the Watts district of Los Angeles where he constructed the famous Watts Towers.
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[edit] Life and works
Rodia was born in 1879 near the town of Naples, Italy before emigrating to the United States at the age of 15 and living with his brother in Pennsylvania. His brother died soon afterwards in a mining accident and Rodia moved to the west coast. He lived in Seattle, where he married and had three children, and subsequently Oakland and Long Beach. He settled in Watts, California in the early 1920s, where he began construction of the towers.[2]
Rodia began the towers in 1921 and finished them in 1954. After finishing the towers, Rodia moved to Martinez, California where he lived until his death in 1965;[2] it is generally believed that he never saw his towers again after leaving Watts. He moved owing to disputes with his neighbors over vandalism of the towers.
Claims that Rodia's surname was "Rodella" or "Rodilla," or that his given name was "Sabatino," rather than Sabato, are generally given little credibility, and are likely the result of misspellings. There is some question of whether or not he was generally called "Simon" during his lifetime.
A photograph of Simon Rodia is included on the cover of the Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, released in 1967. Simon Rodia Continuation High School in Watts is named for him.
According to reviewer Robert Koehler in Variety, the documentary film I Build the Tower is "the most complete visual account of self-made architect Simon Rodia and his masterpiece."
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ About SAM (SIMON) Rodia - The watts Towers — official site
- ^ a b Big Orange Landmarks -- No. 15 - Towers of Simon Rodia.
[edit] External links
- Photo documentary of Watts Towers at Blurrylens.com
- Art Junction site on the Watts Towers
- PBS article
- Simon Rodia - Great Buildings Online
- Watts Towers web site -- photo of Simon Rodia.
- Simon Rodia at Find a Grave
- Rodia's Watts Towers - Photo documentary of the towers and the ruins of Rodia's house, with new biographical information.
