1-IN-5 COLORADO RESIDENTS WERE ITALIAN IN EARLY 20th CENTURY

Italian workers first settled in Colorado in the late 1850s and by 1922 their families accounted for roughly one-in-five state residents, according to History Colorado.

They toiled in mines, on railroads, in agriculture and in steel mills. Trinidad, Denver, Pueblo and farming community Weldona in Morgan County boasted settlements - as did other towns and cities. "Upon arrival, they faced many challenges," History Colorado reports. "Despite their struggles, Italian immigrants persevered and prospered, making an impact on the communities they were becoming a part of."

In the 21st Century, it is estimate that the state's Italian-American population numbers about 200,000 - or about 5% percent of Coloradans.

[Photo: History Colorado, DMV]