Originally published Jan. 19, 2022.
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As the three cousins, Bill Alessini, Jim Barsotti, and Maurice Cappelluti, sat together in front of their audience, alphabetically they represented the ABCs of Madera’s Barsotti family: The trio descended from their grandparents, Domenico and Louisa Barsotti, and they had gathered to share some memories of their Italian heritage with this writer and his cohorts. A lot of the conversation turned to a local business of long standing — the Madera Baking Company.
The Barsotti family had first come to Madera from Firebaugh in order to go into the hotel business. They purchased the Vesuvius Hotel on F Street (present day Gateway Drive) and later built the Barsotti hotel. Although their hotel enterprise was a tremendous success, the Barsotti’s real legacy to the history of business in Madera was probably their baking operation.
When Domenico and Louisa Barsotti moved to Madera in 1906, they had six children: Nello, Salomena (Pera), Ida (Nicoletti), Evelina (Alessini), Anne (Grattone), and Freda (Cappelluti). After they relocated in Madera, their second son, Albert, destined to become one of Madera’s most influential mayors, was born.