The object that I chose is  a street sign in Lackawanna Buffalo, New York. This street sign says “Verel Ave'' on it. The street and a few houses around it were built by my great-grandpa, Giovanni Verrilli. He and his family lived on the second floor of a building on the corner of South Park Avenue and Verel Street that had “Verel” carved into a stone In the front. 

        This artifact is important to me because it's kind of cool to have a street named after your great-grandfather. (I think). It also shows how family can be very important because when Giovanni Verrilli came to America in 1908 at the age of 16, his older brother, Filippo Verrilli, then going by Phil Verel, came to America in 1892. He was a track forman probably lined up his brother's  job. He also introduced his brother to Almanzo Yoviene, a railroad section boss. Giovanni, then going by John Verel, married one of his daughters in 1913, at Our Mother of Good Counsel church in Blasdell.


     In conclusion, I believe that this is an important object because it shows how even if you had to immigrate to a new place you can start a new community and meet new people. I also want to learn more about how John and Phil came to the United States and what the cause of them going was.

– EV

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more