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WINTER 2020 Italian American Digest
Remembering : Sam Centenni
Salvador “ Sam ” Centanni left rubber-soled footprints not only on the constantly washed-down concrete floors of Gold Seal Creamery , the dairy he founded and operated for almost seven decades , but also throughout the City of New Orleans .
Sam was one of eleven children born to Antonio Centanni ( born in Alia , Sicily ) and Rosalie Soleto Centanni ( from Palermo ), who settled in the Carrollton neighborhood on Dante Street , corner of Belfast . His grandfather Salvatore Centanni emigrated to New Orleans , worked as a laborer , and later called for his wife , Louise Soleto Centanni , and their five children . The family lived together and all worked in sugar cane fields , pooling their money to buy property . Salvatore and Louise eventually returned to Alia , where they are buried .
Sam Centanni left school after third grade to help his father in the family dairy business . In 1920 he started his own route , spooning milk into customers ’ jars from ten-gallon cans in the back of his horse-drawn cart . Over the years he grew that small business , incorporated it as Gold Seal Creamery , and in 1954 built a permanent processing and distribution plant and ice cream parlor in the Mid-City section . Gold Seal Creamery became noted throughout the city and surrounding areas for its Creole Cream Cheese as well as its other top-quality dairy , cheese and ice cream products . Soon after branching out with his own business , Sam married the love of his life , Veronica Myra Collins . Sam and Myra had seven children , and all worked at Gold Seal Creamery .
The Centannis gained more fame in the City of New Orleans with elaborate Christmas decorations that ranged from religious to whimsical . Beginning in 1946 with Myra ’ s vision and design , the Centanni family began to decorate their Canal Street home , first with lights that later became thousands of lights , a larger than life Nativity scene , a lighted church , and motifs inspired by children ’ s books . The display grew year by year with the addition of elves making toys
By Andrew F . Gonczi
in Santa ’ s Workshop , Santa ’ s sleigh being pulled across the yard by Rudolph and eight reindeer , and even Santa riding an elephant , all to the delight of children young and old . The display attracted crowds so large that a local vendor set up a cotton candy stand on the corner . On some nights cars lined up for blocks along Canal Street , as driving by the Centanni home became a Christmas Season ritual for many New Orleanians .
Sam was an active member of several Carnival organizations and reigned as king
of Carrollton , Orion and Virgilians , a predominately Italian-American organization known for its elaborate extravaganzas . He was president of the Italian Union and a member and past master of Dante Lodge No . 174 , F & AM . Myra was a lifetime honorary president of the Italian-American Club ’ s ladies ’ auxiliary . Both spent many hours at Unione Italiana ( the Italian Hall ) on Esplanade Avenue , frequently bringing food and ice cream cups for various meetings and gatherings . Sam was also a director of the New Orleans chapter of the American Committee on Italian Migration and a member of the National Catholic Resettlement Council . He was honored by the Italian government for his work with Italian immigrants , including sponsorships and finding or providing jobs .
Even today , 24 years after his death at age 97 , some of those wet footprints that Salvador Centanni left behind can be found in the memories of older New Orleanians , who as children gathered to see those marvelous Christmas decorations . Perhaps some footprints remain near the former Centanni home on the corner of Canal and South Murat Streets , near the cotton candy stand site under a huge oak tree . Others could be in City Park during the Christmas Season in the form of Nativity scene figures of the infant Jesus , Mary , Joseph , the Wise Men and Shepherds , which the Centanni Family donated to Christmas in the Oaks . Certainly still more are in front of Gold Seal Lofts , a modern apartment community in the renovated and re-purposed dairy building on the corner of South Alexander and D ’ Hemecort Streets . However , the footprints that surely will last the longest are embedded in the histories and lives of the hundreds of descendants of those Italian immigrants who , thanks in part to Sam Centanni ’ s help and intervention , began a new life in the New World .