Murfreesboro's Early 20th-Century Immigrants
| Concetta Digiorgio Miciotto and her four children (Dominico, Grace, Vance, and Sam) immigrated to the United States from Sicily in June 1911, arriving at Ellis Island on board the ship "Alice." They joined her husband, Giuseppe, who was already living and working in Chicago. They moved to Nashville in 1913 and then to Murfreesboro in 1916 to join Concetta's brothers, Sam and John DeGeorge. Somewhere along the way, Concetta and her family changed the spelling of their last name from Miciotto to Meshotto, just as the DeGeorges had modified DiGiorgio. |
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Concetta's son Dominico (Dominick) was about 16 when they arrived in the United States. In 1926, Dominick, his brother and sister, and their mother Concetta opened the first Busy Bee Café at 125 N. Maple Street (where Marina's is now). In 1934, Dominick bought the building at 119 N. Maple Street. In 1937, he married Rose Culotta of Birmingham, Alabama (her parents were from the same town in Sicily that the DeGeorges and Meshottos were from). From 1937 to 1946, Dominick and Rose operated the Busy Bee Café at 119 N. Maple Street location. The Busy Bee served traditional American fare such as hamburgers and French fries, but they were also known to have the best spaghetti in Murfreesboro. |
| Concetta's son Dominico (Dominick) was about 16 when they arrived in the United States. In 1926, Dominick, his brother and sister, and their mother Concetta opened the first Busy Bee Café at 125 N. Maple Street (where Marina's is now). In 1934, Dominick bought the building at 119 N. Maple Street. In 1937, he married Rose Culotta of Birmingham, Alabama (her parents were from the same town in Sicily that the DeGeorges and Meshottos were from). From 1937 to 1946, Dominick and Rose operated the Busy Bee Café at 119 N. Maple Street location. The Busy Bee served traditional American fare such as hamburgers and French fries, but they were also known to have the best spaghetti in Murfreesboro. |
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Dominick sold the building in 1946 and for a while he worked at the PX at Smyrna Army Air Base. He later owned and operated Dominick's Tavern, first on the Old Nashville Highway and then on Broad Street, until his death in 1973. |