Steamboat Pilot & Today

Unless you arrived in Routt County yesterday, you've heard the name Iacovetto.

Members of the Iacovetto family own businesses in the area, have ranched on land in South Routt for many generations and, for as many years, Iacovetto children have been top athletes.

It seems as if the Iacovettos always have been here. On Friday, Angelo Iacovetto will share the story of his father's and mother's arrival in the Yampa Valley from Italy.

It's an inspiring rag-to-riches story.

His father arrived in the United States in 1910 at age 23. A year later, he was joined by his wife, Angelo's mother.

"My dad heard about a job in Phippsburg, a railroad job," Iacovetto said. "He took a job shoveling coal for 50 cents a ton."

Angelo Iacovetto is one of 10 children, most of whom stayed in the Yampa Valley and started their own families.

"My dad had 29 grandchildren, 66 great-grandchildren and 46 great-great-grandchildren," he said.

His father eventually left his manual labor job at the railroads and opened a general store in Phippsburg. He bought land and houses in the area and built the foundation of his family's legacy.

Angelo Iacovetto plans to tell the stories he remembers about his father working in the store. He also plans to talk about the Iacovettos who have served in the military -- seven of the brothers were in the service, he said.

The Iacovetto family story in Routt County began at a time when many immigrants were moving to the area from all parts of the world to work in the mines, for the railroads and in the lettuce farms of South Routt.

-- To reach Autumn Phillips call 871-4210

or e-mail aphillips@steamboatpilot.com