The greatest number of Croatian immigrants came to America from Dalmatia, which is quite understandable, since they were primarily sailors, and of all Croatians, they had the greatest amount of contact with the distant world, and thus with the new continent. The great majority of them, at least in the first centuries of immigration, came to the western coast of America, primarily to California, where many of them, in a very short time became very wealthy and respected members of the American community. The 19th century saw the beginning of a greater immigration of Croatians from all Croatian provinces (which at that time were divided among many countries: Austria, Hungary, Italy, Turkey). These new immigrants sought employment wherever they could find it. At that time, most of them worked in mines, for the railroad and on the building of new roads, especially the railways. From that time Croatian settlements have existed throughout the entire United States. Due to the political and economic situation of that time, Croatia was left without its young people, and this trend followed the Croatian people even to this present day. Croatian history is full of many difficult separations and departures to far away lands, especially to America. A torrent of tears flowed from the eyes of many mothers, wives and children who either felt or knew that they would never see their loved ones again in their Croatian homeland.

Croatian priests soon followed the immigrants to the new land in order to make it somewhat easier for their fellow countrymen. Little by little, and with great difficulty, these priests found the Croatian communities and began to establish Croatian parishes, so that, in this way the Croatian immigrants could feel a connection to their homeland in the far away land of America. These priests tended not just to the spiritual needs of the Croatian immigrants, but also worked with the practical needs of the people in order to help them make a life for themselves and to adapt to American society.

Some priests came to America as missionaries (to convert the American Indians from paganism) long before the start of Croatian settlement in America. The earliest well-known Croatian missionary was a Jesuit named Ivan Ratkaj, who arrived in Mexico already in 1680, and worked among the Indians of Northern Mexico. Due to his early death, he never made it to California. There was another Croatian Jesuit priest named Fr. Ferdinand Konscak, however, who at the beginning of the 18th century spent the greater part of his missionary life in California. By the middle of the century he established many new missions among the American Indians and among them he was extraordinarily beloved. He was perhaps the most famous missionary of his time, and he established some missions that even today are well known on the West Coast. A third well known Croatian missionary was Fr. Josip Kundek, who arrived in America at the beginning of the 19th century. He established new missions and worked primarily with the German Catholics in a diocese that included Indiana and a part of Illinois, including Chicago. In 1839 he established a new city and called it Ferdinand (South of Jasper), and in 1843 he established Celestine, both of course with parishes. He was everywhere where there were Germans and in this way he became the first Croatian in Pittsburgh and New Orleans.

At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Croatian immigration was especially large due to wide spread poverty and difficult political circumstances (during the time of the cruel reign of Khuen-Hedervari). Great waves of immigration have always happened during difficult times in Croatian history: the time after the Second World War was especially tragic, when thousands and thousands of Croatians had to flee from the Serbian-communist regime into foreign lands the world over. It is impossible to correctly guess the number of Croatian immigrants in America because at that time they were listed in grouping with the Slovenians. Croatians from Bosnia-Herzegovina were listed as Bosnians or Herzegovinians. Or if you were a Croat from another country, you were listed as a citizen of that country or locality. Later people were listed as simply being Yugoslavian. It is estimated that in the United States today there are over 2 million Croatians and their descendents.

A significant event occurred at the end of the 19th century with the establishment of the Hrvatska Bratska Zajednica (Croatian Fraternal Union) and other Croatian social associations. Particularly because of frequent injuries on the job, and because there was no one to care for the immigrant Croatians and their families after their work-related injuries or deaths, there was a great need to establish such associations, in which naturally Croatian culture was also fostered. Many of these associations published their own newspapers.. The high quality newspapers and magazines, however, would have to wait until after the Second World War, when a great number of newsmen and intellectuals would come to America.

George J. Prpic, Ph.D - A Biography