725 Jefferson Ave Historic Survey

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Resource Number: 5BL 11299 Temporary Resource Number: 157508427003 30. Original location X Moved Date of move(s): V. HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS 31. Original use(s): Domestic, Single Dwelling 32. Intermediate use(s): N/A 33. Current use(s): Domestic, Single Dwelling 34. Site type(s): Urban residence 35. Historical background: This building is part of Jefferson Place, the first residential subdivision in Louisville. This property at 725 Jefferson was owned by the Romano family for nearly forty years. It is believed to have been a rental for at least part of that time. The first owner of the property, after Jefferson Place developer Charles Welch, was Louis Fattor (or "Fatter"). In an example of how deeds were not always recorded with Boulder County in a timely manner, the deed conveying the property from Fattor to the next owner was recorded ten years later (1906) than the deed conveying the property from Welch to Fattor (1896). Thus, it is not known in exactly what year Fattor purchased the property from Welch. In any case, Fattor transferred the property to Berardino Lippis by 1896. Additional information about Lippis and Fattor could not be located. In 1901, Berardino Lippis sold the property at 725 Jefferson to Pasquale (a name sometimes stated to be "Pascal" or Pascol") Romano (a name sometimes stated to be "Romans"). Pasquale Romano was also for a time the owner of Lots 6 and 7 of Block 9, the parcels to the south of 725 Jefferson that today make up 721 Jefferson (5BL11297). Pasquale Romano (1860-1935) was married to Philomena Romano (c. 1856-1940). They were both born in Italy, came to the US in about 1889, and lived in Idaho before settling in Louisville in about 1900. Their children who grew to adulthood were Lena (Ingram) ( Polluconi), Mary (Romano), and Jennie (Lombardi). Pasquale Romano worked as a coal miner. In the 1904 directory for Louisville, the Pasquale Romano family is listed as living on Jefferson between Spruce and Pine, which is an accurate description of this property. (His name is given as "Parcal Roman, but this type of misspelling of an Italian name is not uncommon for the 1904 directory.) For most of the period of ownership by the Romano family, however, it appears from directory research that the family actually lived elsewhere in Louisville. Another directory that possibly indicates a Romano family member living in this location is that for 1916, when John and Mary Romano lived at 220 Jefferson. This could have been the location of 725 Jefferson under Louisville's old address system. John Romano was a miner. However, it is not clear how he may have been related to Pasquale and Philomena Romano. The County gives 1905 as an estimated date of construction for this house. Boulder County has sometimes been found to be in error with respect to historic buildings in Louisville. In this case, there is some indication that the house was constructed prior to 1905, as Pasquale Romano owned this property no later than 1901, and he and his family are listed in the 1904 directory as living on this block of Jefferson between Spruce and Pine. However, no other evidence of the year of construction could be located. The property in question is outside of the boundaries of the Sanborn Maps that were done for Louisville in 1893, 1900, and 1908 (they focused on the downtown business district and La Farge Avenue only). The house at 725 Jefferson does appear in the correct location on the 1909 Drumm's Wall Map of Louisville and on the Methodist Church Map of Louisville that was made in circa 1923-25. In 1924, Pasquale Romano transferred 725 Jefferson to two of his daughters, Lena Polluconi and Jennie Lombardi. The house is believed to have been a rental in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1935, based on the sequence of addresses along this side of Jefferson, it is possible that the residents who were renting at the time were John and Flavell Hanna. However, no other possible resident names were located. 3