Sam Gnatovich

Biography

Timeline

1. about 1950

   Carol earns money from the tomato harvest

   At twelve, Carol helped her father pick, polish, and pack tomatoes, placing the prettiest on top. Tomatoes sold for three dollars a bushel, and her father let her keep the money. Some were sold to Sam Gnatovich.

   Carol's Chapter

2. later

   Sam replaces his market with a bowling alley

   Sam tore down his open-air supermarket and built a bowling alley on the property, called Highland Park Bowl and Wells Fargo Lounge at the time of the account.

   Carol's Chapter

Stories mentioning Sam

• The Garden That Fed the FamilyThe orchard and garden supplied fruit, berries, and vegetables that Carol's mother preserved for winter, with help from Grandpa Williams and Iris. Carol recalls shelling peas, snapping beans, apple pies, and the sound of canning lids sealing. About 1950, she helped her father prepare tomatoes for sale to Sam Gnatovich at three dollars a bushel and kept the proceeds. Her father later sold the garden land to George and Evelyn Sajben. In later years, family members could not reproduce their mother's dill pickles and suspected her well water made the difference.

Referenced in

• Carol's Chapter — HOME