County has long history of immigrants - Fort Morgan Times

Morgan County has had a remarkable history of waves of immigration over more than a century - but the newcomers were not always welcomed with open arms.

[Laurie]

You're right about the German-Russians having a tough time being accepted in America, especially during the world wars. I know lots of towns had to change their names because of this fear.

But compare that to what their relatives in the Old Country faced. A forced-famine in the early 1930's (thanks to Stalin). Fear of arrest in the middle of the night. Imprisonment and torture. Being sent off to the gulag. I hear there is supposed to be a movie about this coming out - http://www.youtube.com/watch...

We descendents of the German-Russians are a resilient people. Not a lot of people know we exist.

[Anonymous]

The current story of immigration in Ft. Morgan:
Immigrants are recruited by Cargill to work.
Immigrants discover job sucks.
Immigrants end up getting fired or quitting Cargill.
Immigrants lack english skills, thus cannot find another job.
Immigrants suck up food stamps/welfare/medical resources for a while.
Immigrants leave Ft. Morgan, having developed no particular attachment to the community in the first place.
Immigrants keep coming for low skill labor jobs at Cargill.....

[Michelle H]

When I lived there from 1979-84, I found the attitude hadn't changed much for "outsiders".

[Pete]

The "outsiders" mentality still existed when I left there in 1998. If you weren't born there you are an outsider regardless how long you live there.