Bella Vista and Scenic Heights History

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Though the Bella Vista and Scenic Heights subdivisions were being developed at around the same time in the early 1960s, by all accounts there was little competition between the two because demand was so high. Both still have residents who were the original owners of the houses since the early 1960s. History of the Bella Vista Subdivision County property records indicate that the land for the Bella Vista development was provided by Klubert and Helen Warembourg, Romie and Nelle Green, and Boulder Laundry, Inc. The property is believed to have previously been owned by Rocky Mountain Fuel Co, a company that owned coal mine properties in the area. The names of those who platted Bella Vista in 1957 were Herbert Steinbaugh, Glenn Steinbaugh, James Milton McDaniel, and Anthony "Joe" Madonna, plus Klubert and Helen Warembourg and Romie and Nelle Green. The Warembourgs and the Greens then signed over their interests to the four main partners. The project was closely aligned with Steinbaugh's Lumber Co., then located on Front Street. As mentioned above, two of the partners, Herbert Steinbaugh (1923-2013) and Glenn Steinbaugh (1927-2013), were the grandsons of Steinbaugh's founder, J.J. Steinbaugh, and the sons of Herman and Laura Steinbaugh. According to the 1956 directory for Louisville, Herbert was president of Steinbaugh's and Glenn was vice- president. Their brothers, Jim and Jack, also worked at Steinbaugh's, and their father, Herman, was also still involved in the business. The third partner was Joe Madonna (1917-1984), who had grown up in Louisville. In the 1950s, he worked as a building contractor and is remembered as having been the foreman of the building department at Steinbaugh's. He had served on the Louisville Planning Commission and later worked for Boulder County. Joe Madonna's sister, Lois, was at the time married to James Milton McDaniel (1916-1998), the fourth partner, who is remembered as having been a manager at Steinbaugh's. All four partners had served in World War II. James McDaniel is believed to have at some point moved elsewhere in Colorado and didn't have as extensive an involvement that the other three men had in the Bella Vista subdivision. The four developers of Bella Vista formed the S & M Corporation to sell lots in the new Bella Vista neighborhood. Steinbaugh's Lumber Co. supplied lumber and materials for the construction of at least some of the houses that would be built in Bella Vista. It is remembered by Louisville residents that Joe Madonna constructed some of the homes in the development. Anyone who drives or walks through this subdivision no doubt wonders about the origins of the street names that are women's given names. The four men involved in the project named the streets for their wives. Aline Street was named for Aline DiGiallonardo Steinbaugh, wife of Glenn; Rose Street was named for Rose Dionigi 2