When it comes to the history of Mokelumne Hill (CA), one of its most significant stories is that of the Italians who began settling in the area in the mid-19th century and established gardens that became a major part of the local landscape.

Julia Costello, a Mokelumne Hill resident who has researched the history of Italians in her hometown, met with the Enterprise last week to share some of her knowledge about the area’s historic Italian gardens, which flourished from the late 1850s to about 1910.