In 1932, a committee was formed to explore the idea of erecting a statue of Christopher Columbus in Newport as a gift from all the people of Italian heritage in the community.

It appears that this committee grew out of the Italian Brotherhood Benefit Society of Newport, which had been incorporated by the General Assembly by an act passed on Feb. 5, 1897.

[1] Early in the 1950s, the plan was reactivated, and each of the three United Italian Societies was asked to select four members each to serve on the Columbus Monument Committee.

[1] At some point, this committee commissioned the world-renowned Fonderia Artistica Ferdinando Marinelli in Florence, Italy, to create the statue.

His foundry specialized in bronzes by contemporary sculptors as well as meeting the high demand for art-quality replicas of ancient and Renaissance masterpieces.

Through the office of Adm. William Fechtler, chief of naval operations, the Navy agreed to transport the statue and its accessories aboard the Cascade to Newport.

That day, Russo, his father, Pasquale, Gabe's two sons Paul, 10, and Bryan, 5, Donato F. D’Andrea, Enrico Cassese, Michael DeRensis, Mrs. Augustin Bucci and truck driver Stephen Toppa witnessed the unloading of the crates.

Fortunately, Mayor Richard Sardella located the surround's fragments in the back of a construction company's storehouse under an old fire escape covered with years of dirt.

[2] Using historical images kept by a member of the Italian American Society, the restoration company repaired or replaced the missing stone and bronze parts and reassembled the surround.