Time Machine Tuesday: Germans from Russia in Colorado

The Germans from Russia are the second largest ethnic group in Colorado and one of the most important contributors to the historic development of the state. Arriving around the1880’s, they became primarily the mainstay of the sugar beet growing and processing industries. Within two generations, they rose from field hands to fill leading positions in business, education, culture, and the political life of the state. Their remarkable advance from immigrant status to community leaders is one of the great American “success stories” of the twentieth century, and contemporary descendants of these hardy pioneers take justifiable pride in their cultural legacy.