Italian immigrants made a significant contribution to Easton with a Christopher Columbus statue purposely placed at the city's waterfront. The bronze statue, nine feet tall and sculpted by noted Philadelphia sculptor Giuseppe Donato, was dedicated during a daylong celebration on December 14, 1930, when a large crowd attended its unveiling with music and speeches by prominent guests. During the worst Depression experienced by America, the Italian-American community raised $13,000 for the statue, and it is said that some took out second mortgages on their homes to help the cause. Participants gathered at the Italian Home on South Fifth Street and marched in procession to the site, with eight Italian organizations taking part. Today, two of those societies still exist: the Holy Cross Society, whose members are descendants from Santo Stefano diCamastra, Sicily, and the San Placido Society, whose descendants are from Castel diLucio, Sicily. A concert and banquet followed at the Orpheum Theatre, and the statue was later re-dedicated in honor of the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's landing in the Americas.
