Castelnuovo Cilento, a medieval village in southwest Italy, has named a street and unveiled a plaque in honour of Charles Carmine Antonio Baldi, the great-great-grandfather of singer Taylor Swift, as local officials seek to draw tourism and economic attention tied to the pop star.
The road, now called Via Carmine Baldi and leading to the Talamo-Atenolfi castle, was dedicated in a ceremony attended by family descendants, including Patrizia Baldi, who travelled from the United States for the event. Mayor Gianluca D'Aiuto described the naming as "an act of gratitude towards those who left our country without ever forgetting their roots" and said the town has extended an invitation to Swift to visit. A mayoral spokeswoman told The Times the village hopes a visit could revive local tourism and economic activity.
Charles Carmine Antonio Baldi left Castelnuovo Cilento in 1877 at about age 14 for Philadelphia, where he became a prominent merchant and an important figure in the Italian-American community, according to town officials and historical accounts. Genealogical research by historian and publisher Giuseppe Galzerano, supplemented by documentation in a 2022 book by former U.S. congressman Chuck Douglas, linked Baldi's descendants to Swift.
Patrizia Baldi told Italian newspaper Il Mattino that Swift's future brother-in-law, Jason Kelce, is her neighbour in the United States and expressed optimism that Swift could be persuaded to visit. "I am sure that we will be able to bring her here, to see this beautiful country, so lovely and welcoming," she said at the unveiling.
The connection to Swift is being promoted in part because of the economic phenomenon observers have dubbed "Swiftonomics," in which the singer's concerts generate substantial consumer spending beyond ticket sales. The Wall Street Journal estimated the U.S. leg of Swift's Eras Tour produced roughly $5 billion in consumer spending across multiple years and cities, and separate estimates placed London concert-related economic benefits at about £300 million.
Officials in Castelnuovo Cilento framed the street naming as both a tribute and a practical step to raise the village's profile. The town, built around a 13th-century castle and situated above the Alento river near Vallo della Lucania and the ancient city of Velia, has fewer than 100 residents in its historic centre and relies heavily on tourism.
Giuseppe Galzerano reconstructed genealogies from parish records that trace Baldi's family through several generations. Charles and his wife Louisa Eurindine Sobernheimer had seven children; one descendant line includes Louise Baldi Douglas and Rose Baldi Douglas, who married into the Swift family. That lineage leads to financial adviser Scott Kingsley Swift, father of Taylor Swift, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1989.
The town prepared a celebratory booklet containing documents, photographs and family stories about the Baldi family and plans to send a copy to Chuck Douglas with an official letter from municipal authorities. Officials said they hope Douglas might be able to facilitate contact with Swift or introduce her to her Cilento roots.
Mayor D'Aiuto said the municipality hopes the naming will "reach Taylor Swift; it would be wonderful to welcome her here, in this land that also belongs to her." The ceremony and the municipal invitation were reported by Il Mattino and covered in other Italian and international outlets.
Local officials emphasized the move was intended to honour an emigrant who achieved success abroad while maintaining ties to his birthplace, and to celebrate a shared history rather than to serve as a commercial stunt. The plaque and new street sign aim to preserve and publicize the village's historical ties amid broader efforts to attract visitors to small towns in southern Italy that have faced demographic and economic challenges.
Castelnuovo Cilento's initiative joins a growing list of towns and regions that have highlighted connections to famous descendants as a way to boost visibility. Municipal leaders said they will continue outreach to Swift's representatives and maintain the invitation.
The medieval village's decision to mark Baldi's legacy reflects both local interest in heritage and the practical calculation that high-profile attention could bring economic benefits to a community with limited industry and a strong reliance on tourism.