Amelio's - A History and An Interview

Sitting near the railroad tracks at the southern foot of Fifth Street, Logansport, Indiana is a little bar and restaurant, which has been in existence since 1869 when it began as a "saloon and boarding house". The physical address is 431 S. Fifth Street.

At the time of this blog posting the place is doing business as "Amelio's by the River" - because beyond the railroad tracks the Wabash River flows within its banks. Hopefully. Because in years past the Wabash was notorious for inundating Logansport with floods.

From the 1920s until 2008 the place was known simply as "Amelio's", a great place for food, specializing in Italian dishes - especially their homemade meatballs, ice cold beer and cocktails. Throughout the years Amelio's has been a popular place for lunch and dinner, whether for pleasure or for business, and a great gathering place for large families and groups. Many a high school class reunion has been held there, for example.

431 S. Fifth Street on the corner of S. Fifth and E. Melbourne Avenue

I went on a research adventure beginning with Logansport’s City Directories. It was immediately evident that the building at 431 Fifth Street, originally 39 Canal Street, also sometimes referred to as "Railroad Street" (now South Fifth Street) has always housed a saloon, except for during the Prohibition years – 1919 to 1933; at that time, it housed a place for “soft drinks”. Insert a winking emoji here, if you like, because all of the former taverns became "soft drink parlors" during prohibition.

When he first took over, Nick Amelio called the business "Nick's Place", 

as indicated on the window on the left in this photo, circa 1920s.

Next door at right in this photo Perfects wholesale grocery conducted business. 

This building would eventually become part of Amelio's, minus the upper floors.

The business name Amelio’s appears in the 1926 Logansport city directory. In 1924 the address is listed as being owned by Joseph Koster. It was a “soft drink” establishment. He lived in the rooms adjoining the business. As a matter of fact, all of the owners before Nicholas Amelio lived in the rooms adjoining the business. The Cass County Historical Society is missing a few volumes of city directories, which explains the missing dates, but taking information from the directories, the owners and the years that they had the business and the type of business listing are as follows:

John Mitchell, 1869 – 1871, Saloon & Boarding House

Joseph F. Matt, 1871-1900, Saloon, “Matt’s”

Louis Sewnig, 1901-02, Saloon “Louis Sewnig & Son”

John T. Cain, 1903-04, Saloon

William B. Roose, 1905-06, Saloon

George Schubach, 1907 – 1908, Saloon

Andrew J. Sellers, 1911 – 1915 Saloon

William Blackburn, 1915 – 1919 Saloon “Blackburn’s Saloon”

Bert Powell, 1919-20, Soft Drinks

John Sinnot, 1921-22, Soft Drinks

Joseph Koster 1924 – 1925

Nicholas Amelio 1926 – 1958

Francis Amelio 1958- 1982

That was the last “Amelio” family member to own the tavern.

 Ken Renkenberger - 1982

Thomas L. & Loretta Keplar  -1983, they continued to operate as “Amelio’s”.

In 2008 the building and business sold, once again. This time the buyer is Logansport life-long resident, Larry Isaacs. He renamed the business "Amelio's & Ike's"

In 2015 Isaacs sold the business to Paul Ulerick. Paul renamed it "Amelio's on the River", the name by which the business continues.

NOTE: It has been said that Nicholas Amelio began operating the business in 1924 and called it “Nick’s” and that he purchased the business in 1939.

Shirley A. Amelio Appollonio Peter

1935-2017

(Family Photo Provided)

Before she passed away, I had the pleasure of interviewing Shirley (born Amelio) Peter. Pictured above, she was a beautiful young lady, proud of her Italian ancestry.

THE INTERVIEW

Shirley Amelio Peter spoke with me on September 9, 2008. According to her the correct name was “Nick’s Place” and her father bought the business in 1938. That is when the Nicholas Amelio family, Nicholas “Nick” and Naureen and their children Mildred (Wolf), Helena (Pfaff), Francis, Teresa (Harvey) and 3year-old Shirley (Peter) moved from their 12^th Street address to the six-room apartment above the business. 

 

Nick came to America straight from Italy. His wife, Naureen, was German and, in those days, Shirley said, "an Italian married to a German was (frowned upon)" so Naureen learned quickly to speak, read and cook Italian. They made a home at 1412 Twelfth Street in Logansport. Nick worked on the Railroad but wasn’t happy with the job. So, when the opportunity came to work at the well-known, well-patronized establishment on 5^th & Melbourne Ave, he took it. He began as a “clerk” according to the Logansport city directory listings, when it was owned by Joseph Koster and the business was listed among all of the “Soft Drink” establishments.

 

When WWII began and Shirley’s brother, Francis went off to war, her older sister, Mildred helped run the business.

 

The apartment above the business had one full bath, a walk-in closet/pantry and a room that was called “the liquor room”, which was always locked.

 

In 1938 Nick bought the tavern and it became an enjoyable place to be with friends. Nick was a good singer. He loved to sing and his patrons enjoyed listening to him. His repertoire included “God Bless America”, which, as a new American citizen, was his favorite song and with which he’d always begin. Then he’d sing a couple of Italian songs plus two “novelty” songs. One titled “Horsey Keep Your Tail Up”, the other “Cheatin’ On Your Baby”. Jukebox business owners Ted Igmire and Robert Johnson kept the jukebox in Amelio’s filled with the type of background music that Nick needed for his singing and his patrons wanted. It was a popular place to relax and socialize at first. After the Amelio family moved above the business, folks started inquiring about the heavenly aroma wafting down – Naureen would be cooking dinner. Soon meatball sandwiches were sold and, later on spaghetti was offered along with Pasta Fagioli (a bean soup that was quite popular with the local crowd). People would drive over to Logansport from Peru and Rochester just to spend an evening at Amelio's. Business hours were from 9 a.m. to midnight. There was never any trouble. Shirley laughed and said that the only fights were between her brother and his friends. The local police would sometimes stop and eat a quick meal in a small dining area near the rear entrance. 

When asked about her childhood, living above the business, Shirley reminded me that, in those days, Logansport was filled with people and activity in the downtown. She had a girlfriend, a member of the Parkevich family, who lived on the corner near her home. On Saturdays there would be shopping downtown all day, then black and white movies at the theaters in the evening. She attended St. Joseph Catholic School on Second Street and E. Market. She walked west on E. Market, four blocks to school in the morning, walked back home for lunch, walked back to school and then walked home after school, each day. 

In 1958 Francis Amelio, Nicholas’ son, assumed ownership. In 1982 he sold the business to Ken Renkenberger and the following year (1983) it was sold to Thomas L. & Loretta Keplar, which they continued to operate as “Amelio’s”.

Shirley Amelio Appollonio Peter in later years.  I remember her as

a sweet lady with a sense of humor and a pleasure to be around.

(Family Photo Provided)

The building with the arched doorways was built in 1876 and was the German Hall.

The overhead garage door was installed in 1949 by Mrs. Adam Graf.

Standing on E. Market looking south down 5th Street toward E. Melbourne Avenue and 

the railroad tracks. Amelio's is the last building in the distance.