Tag Archives: Highland Park

Highland Park’s Cloverdale Park was recently renamed Fontana-Pasquesi Park and dedicated to the many immigrants from the province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy who settled in the northern suburb in the early 1900s and contributed significantly to the town’s history. Modena is one of Highland Park’s sister cities. The name change and dedication are the result of a donation by North Shore residents Larry and Maria (Fontana) Pasquesi, who trace their roots to both Highland Park and Modena.  

  A pair of departed veterans are resting more peacefully thanks to the sharp eye and passionate persistence of Laurence Pasquesi. The longtime North Shore activist was strolling through Memorial Park in Highland Park when he was moved to take a closer look at a monument to residents who had worn the American uniform during World War I. He noted with pride that 15 of the 366 men memorialized on a bronze plaque were of Italian descent, but realized upon closer examination that the last names of Costantino Minorini and Enrico Piacenza were misspelled. With the help of fellow community …