From the American Guides Project: (
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Constructed in 1903, this was Eliseo Jacoe's Store, only 830 square feet, but still a center of the Italian community in Louisville. It was purchased by the City and moved to its present location to serve as the city museum. Additional outbuildings complete a picture of mining town life early in the 20th Century.
From the Colorado Historical Society: (
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The building is a well-preserved example of a neighborhood grocery. Its typical large-pane display windows and central entrance provide an excellent illustration of this once common late 19th and early 20th century commercial building type.
From the City of Louisville: (
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A plaque on this building's facade, and a "Louisville Downtown Historical Walking Tour" brochure, indicate that this building was constructed in 1903, and that it was first occupied by the Tego Drugstore. This information appears to be inaccurate. The building was probably constructed in 1908, and served initially as some type of retail establishment. The Louisville section of the 1916 and 1921 Boulder County Directories list John and Ersilia Pellillio, as the proprietor of a shoe repair business at this address (then known as 510 Second Street). This was also the Pellillios residence. By 1928, according to that year's Boulder County Directory, the Pellillios had moved to another location on Main Street. This building, meanwhile, had been converted into a grocery store, owned by Eliseo J. and Anna Jacoe. Known as Jacoe Grocery & Market, and later as Jacoe and Son, the Jacoes' store existed here into the 1950s. In earlier years, Eliseo and his brother Frank had operated a billiards parlor on Front Street.
The Jacoe brothers were Italian immigrants and were both accomplished musicians. The Eliseo Jacoe family lived at 215 Short Street in the 1910s and 1920s, before later moving to 1101 Main Street, a block north of their store.
By 1950, this property was owned by Dominic Tomeo, who lived two doors to the north. During the 1950s, Dominic and Joe Tomeo had a metal shop at 1005 Main Street, just to the north of where this building is located. During the 1980s, the City of Louisville negotiated the purchase of three lots at the northwest corner of Main and South Streets, from the Tomeo family. This building was renovated for use as the Louisville Historical Museum, the remains of the metals shop were cleared away, and the small dwelling at 1011 Main Street was preserved for interpretation as a miner’s cottage.