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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: <br />Information from Historian Bridget Bacon <br />This property is part of Original Louisville, which was platted in 1878 by Louis Nawatny. <br />The current structure was built in 1904, replacing several earlier structures that had <br />been on the lot since at least 1893. The building is currently owned by the applicant, <br />Historic 740 Front Street LLC, and is the home of the Old Louisville Inn restaurant. <br />Di Francia /Fenolia/Zarini Families, Owners 1904 -1945 <br />E.J. "Joe" Di Francia bought the lot and had the structure built by the Fischer family <br />construction business in 1904. Di Francia was an Italian immigrant who first came to <br />Louisville around 1891, operating a tavern at a different location on Front (then called <br />First) Street before opening the tavern at this location. Di Francia operated the tavern, <br />and was involved in helping other Italian immigrants assimilate into the community, until <br />his death in 1918. He and his wife Marie had seven children. <br />E.J.'s son, Nick, took over the operation of the tavern after his father's death, at which <br />time it converted to a pool hall because of prohibition. Nick married Mary Fenolia and <br />had two sons. Around 1928, the property was transferred to Nick's brother in law, Tony <br />Fenolia, but there is no evidence Tony ever directly operated the business. <br />In 1933, Tony's sister and brother -in -law, Christine and Charles Zarini, began operating <br />a cafe out of the building. The Zarini's were one of the first Italian families in Louisville. <br />Christine and Charles operated the restaurant until the early 1940s, when George W. <br />Morgan, Sr. took over. The building was sold out of the family in 1945. <br />From its construction in 1904, 740 Front Street served as a meeting place for <br />Louisville's population of Italian immigrants and their descendants. The structure was <br />also one of the many taverns and saloons on Front Street before prohibition, most of <br />which are now gone. The building has continued to be used as a bar and restaurant <br />under various names over the years. <br />2 <br />