‘Celery King’ family comes home

Salvadore Miranda was born in Italy in 1859, immigrating to Lewiston in 1886 after spending time in Africa working security for railroad employees. Salvadore lived in a cabin with his wife, Mary, and the remains of the cabin still stand across the street from Lewiston City Hall. Salvadore couldn’t speak English or read his native language of Italian, but he still earned his title of Celery King from his time in Idaho.

When living in Lewiston, Salvadore was able to raise celery through a tough growing environment. Before Salvadore, the city had imported celery and it had become a commodity among the tables of the townsfolk.

More than a century after Salvadore grew his first crop of celery, the Miranda family returned to Lewiston to observe and honor the history of their ancestor, visiting his old homestead and grave in Lewiston. They left celery with sugar (an old family recipe) at Salvadore’s grave, visited the plaque honoring the Celery King and visited the old Miranda cabin.

Salvadore’s grandson, Gary Miranda, wrote a sonnet in the memory of his ancestor’s legacy, but he’s made a legacy of his own, as well — Gary is an award-winning poet, with works published in the New Yorker and London Magazine, among others.

“I didn’t know a lot about my grandfather,” Gary said. “None of the Miranda men are talkers. But my father, Dominic, told me some stories about him. A story he told me was that Salvadore threw him into the Snake River to teach him how to swim.”

Salvadore’s affect on the city of Lewiston, and the honor that impact has received, has shaped the Miranda family. Although Gary didn’t grow up hearing many stories about Salvadore, he’s made sure to pass what he knows on to his children and grandchildren.

“It’s very special,” Gary said. “To bring Weston, my grandson, to the cabin for the first time; he’s heard stories about it and I hope he brings his kids, someday.”

“The cabin is really old,” Weston said. “It’s cool that it stayed up with a lot of moves.” The cabin is set to be moved soon, and it has been relocated several times throughout the decades.

The city of Lewiston is ingrained in the Miranda family, and Lewiston’s honoring of the family has ensured that the city will never be without a Miranda for very long.

“It’s incredibly special,” said Nicolas Miranda, Gary’s son. “I’ve been here a couple of times. It’s wonderful to have this in our roots and for us to bring Weston here and have a little family lore in Lewiston — (Weston’s) a part of that.”

In addition to Gary, Nicolas and Weston, Nicolas’ daughter, Chloe Miranda, was present with the family, as well as Nicolas’ wife, Nicole Miranda, and Gary’s wife, Patty Cassidy.

The family has lived in various towns and cities throughout the Pacific Northwest throughout the decades, and they currently live in Redmond, Ore. When it comes to Lewiston, the family always finds a way to come back — with stories to tell and celery in hand.

Kowatsch may be contacted at tkowatsch@lmtribune.com, (208) 848-2268 or on Twitter @tkseahawk13.

Sonnet for Salvadore

Written by Gary Miranda

Of Salvadore the Celery King I sing.

Illiterate in Lewiston, he’d wander,

so I’m told, into the ladies’ john

and, barring ladies, not suspect a thing.

But when it came to celery, he was king.

And when he died, the Lewiston Tribune

said: Salvadore the Celery King Moves On.

The celery hung its head, remembering.

Sometimes I think I’ll wind down Lewiston Hill

(where winding up and winding down’s the same

except for purpose), enter past the mill

and, turning to face the crowd, announce my name:

“Gary, son of Dom the son of Salvadore

the King, whose throne I’ve come to claim.”