John N. LaCorte

Top inscription: INSPIRATIO PER EXEMPLUM - INSPIRATION THROUGH EXAMPLE / Far left section: THIS GARDEN HONORS THE LEGACY OF ITALIAN-AMERICAN / JOHN N. LACORTE (1910-1991) / Middle left section: JOHN LACORTE CHAMPIONED AWARENESS OF THE POSITIVE / ACHIEVEMENTS OF ITALIANS AND ITALIAN-AMERICANS. HIS EFFORTS / LED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ITALIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA (1949), WHOSE MISSION IS TO PERPETUATE THE NAMES OF THOSE OF ITALIAN HERITAGE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE / ADVANCEMENT OF HUMANKIND. / Middle bottom section: THE VERRAZANO MEDALLION, THE WORK OF ARTIST ALBINO MANCA / (1898-1976), WAS ORIGINALLY COMMISSIONED TO COMMEMORATE THE / 1964 DEDICATION OF THE VERRAZANO-NARROWS BRIDGE, VANDALIZED / AND LOST FOR MANY YEARS, THE RESTORED MEDALLION HAS BEEN / INCORPORATED INTO THIS COMMEMORATIVE GARDEN. / Middle right section: AMONG THESE INDIVIDUALS WAS GIOVANNI DA VERRAZANO (1480-1528), / THE FIRST EUROPEAN TO SAIL THROUGH THESE NARROWS TO DISCOVER / UPPER NEW YORK BAY AND THE HUDSON RIVER IN 1524, EIGHTY-FIVE / YEARS PRIOR TO HENRY HUDSON'S ARRIVAL. THE DEDICATED EFFORT / OF JOHN LACORTE LED TO THE NAMING OF THIS MAGNIFICENT BRIDGE / AFTER THE GREAT ITALIAN EXPLORER / Far right section: THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE JOHN LACORTE WAS GUIDED BY THE PRINCIPLE / "INSPIRATIO PER EXEMPLUM," WHICH BECAME THE MOTTO OF THE ITALIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA. / JULY 4TH, 2003 BROOKLYN, NEW YORK /

Where to find it

101st Street between and Fort Hamilton Parkway. Location data: New York Open Data. Get directions