A chance encounter at Rock City Cafe transformed into an unexpected journey through Southern Colorado's hidden mob history. When I overheard locals discussing Pueblo's past, I couldn't resist introducing myself and my podcast—little did I know I'd soon be recording first-hand accounts of the Italian mafia's surprising influence throughout the 719 area code.

One gentleman shared how his Italian grandfather, having relocated from Memphis to Colorado Springs, once took a friend to Pueblo for a movie. Upon arrival, mysterious men recognized the friend, urgently demanding they "go back to Memphis now"—revealing connections between organized crime networks across state lines. This echoed an email I'd received from the owner of Ian's Pizza in Pueblo, whose establishment began after his great-grandparents abandoned their bootlegging business when threatened by the mob. The restaurant's curious name change from "Bessemer Drive-In" to "Ian's"—despite no family member having that name—became an inside joke about "Witness Relocation Pizza."

The conversation unveiled how the steel mills, labor unions, and immigrant communities created perfect conditions for mob influence throughout Southern Colorado. "The mob always follows the food," one participant noted, highlighting the intertwined relationship between cultural traditions and underground enterprises. Most fascinating were stories of tunnels originally built for moonshine operations that were later repurposed for discreetly transporting psychiatric patients—literal and figurative undercurrents of a history that shaped the region in ways many outsiders never realize. If these hidden stories of Pueblo fascinate you, discover more local histories and the people behind them by subscribing to the 719 podcast wherever you listen to your favorite shows.