1040 LaFarge Ave History - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Celeste Romano, who was born in Italy in 1877, played an important role in Louisville history as a high - profile businessman on Main Street. He operated the same business for about 50 years, from about 1910 to 1960. The establishment was known by locals as "Celeste's" (pronounced "Sheleste's" or "Cheleste's"), whether its focus at the particular time was on being a saloon, a pool hall, or a restaurant. It was located at 809 Main Street. Celeste's is particularly remembered by today's older Louisville residents as the place where, as children, they would go to get extremely generous scoops of ice cream (but it was also a hangout for coal miners after work, and alcohol was served). In 1915, Angelina transferred the ownership of 1040 La Farge to her husband Celeste Romano's name. During the time that Angelina and Celeste lived at this house, Prohibition went into effect in Colorado in 1916. While Celeste had previously owned a saloon, he changed the business to become a soda parlor. However, newspaper accounts in 1918 show Celeste Romano was arrested for bootlegging and fined for possessing "a large quantity of wet goods of Hercule[an]strength" after a raid on his establishment. In 1922, shortly after purchasing a new car, Celeste Romano was in a car accident with F.B.R. Hellems, a dean at the University of Colorado. Hellem's wife Margaret was killed. Celeste Romano, Angelina, their two daughters and Angelina's mother were uninjured. Interior of Celeste's c. 1921. Celeste Romano is shown second from right, with his daughters Dora and Helen on either side of him. When Angelina Romano passed away in 1927, their daughter Helen and her husband, John Stevens, moved into the house with Celeste. For the next few decades, Celeste continued to operate his business