Italian Denver by Bus

Join celebrated scholar and author Alisa DiGiacomo for a bus tour of Denver’s Little Italy. Shaped by the country they left behind, Italian immigrants made their way to Colorado beginning in the 1850s. Drawn to the claim of wealth and land ownership in the American West, Italians settled in our state, becoming miners, business owners, farmers, and railroad workers. By the early 1920s, Italians made up nearly 20 percent of the state’s total population. One of the largest Italian settlements was in north Denver, which became known as the city’s Little Italy. After the 1940s, economic and social prosperity resulted in heavy migration out of the neighborhood, and many Italians became absorbed into greater American culture. By the 1990s, only a fraction of Italian-owned homes and businesses remained in Denver’s Little Italy. Yet, the cultural impact endures. Though Denver’s Italian neighborhoods have been transformed over time, community ties, families, stories, and traditions remain. On this tour, participants will explore and discover Denver’s Little Italy: from the truck farms of the Platte River Bottoms to the Denargo Market, community homes and restaurants, to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and Mother Cabrini’s service to immigrants, children, and the poor. Come along as we explore the rich immigrant threads that make up the dynamic tapestry of the city’s history. Guide: Alisa DiGiacomo