All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Niwot organizations are poised to begin celebrating Niwot’s first 150 years as a Boulder County community. Sparked by the Niwot Historical Society’s plan to publish a recap of Niwot’s 150-year history with historical photos and descriptions, other organizations in Niwot have formed a committee to celebrate the sesquicentennial anniversary of the recording of the town plat of Niwot by Ambrose Murray and Porter Hinman on March 30, 1875. The first meeting of the organizing committee, chaired by Niwot resident Laura Skaggs, was held Dec. 2, 2024....
The plat of Niwot was recorded on March 30, 1875 by Ambrose Murray and Porter Hinman laying out the streets, alleys and lots of what is now known as Old Town Niwot. March 30, 2025, will mark 150 years since the founding of the community, and the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) has asked community organizations to begin planning a year-long celebration of the community's first 150 years. Sparked by a discussion in October of plans by the Niwot Historical Society to publish a book...
A big change is coming to an historic building in downtown Niwot. What has been known as "The Grange" for nearly 80 years will now be known as "Niwot Hall." It's not the first time the building has been renamed. Originally, the building at 195 Second Ave. was known as Nelson Hall, named after John Nelson, who built it and ran a mercantile business at the location. It is believed to be the first commercial building in Niwot and was home to several different businesses and meeting rooms. Left...
Banners adorn the streets of Niwot displaying photos, names and service descriptions of military veterans with connections to the community. The banners, as part of Niwot’s Veterans Banner Project, have been displayed annually since 2019 by the Niwot Community Association (NCA) in conjunction with the Niwot Business Association (NBA) during this time of year for families in the Niwot area to honor their loved ones’ service to our country. The annual celebration ceremony honoring veterans wil...
REVENUE Revenues from the 1% sales tax in the Niwot Local Improvement District is down 8.8% compared to a year ago through July, but the percentage of decrease actually dropped a full percentage point, from 9.8%, since June. LID Treasurer Mary Coonce reported that retail sales are down 7.4%, while accommodations and food are up 6.7% year-to-date compared to 2023. The largest percentage decrease is in a category of "Other and Wholesale," which is down 35% year-to-date. Four funding requests were...
Gunbarrel resident Tom Myer, whose parents were Iroquois and native Panamanian/Spanish, will speak at the Niwot Historical Society Now & Then Lecture Series on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. at the Grange in downtown Niwot. Myer describes his presentation style as "one man on a stage" with videos and props. Pow Wow (or "powwow") is often thought of as a festive event of energetic group dancing, drumming and singing. Indeed, it is, but spectators may be unaware of the significance of various...
Community Dance Classes Wednesdays, Sept. 18 and 25 and Oct. 2, 16 and 23 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Community dance classes at the Grange are all the rage. Under the direction of instructor-choreographer Lindy Bartruff, there are several opportunities for the community to feel completely joyful while learning new dance steps and being active. Class level and content are matched to the participants of each class. 5:00 p.m. - 5:50 p.m. Tap Dance Classes will focus on technique and routines which are...
On August 29, Hazel Miller & the Collective, along with Nalani Clisset (stage name Nalani) performed the final show of the 2024 Rock & Rails season at Whistle Stop Park. As Nalani was setting up for her opening set, headliner Hazel Miller was standing by the performance gazebo greeting arriving concertgoers like old friends. Energized and radiating joy, Miller promised them that they "were in for a great evening and plenty of dancing." Miller's band members were fired up for their set. Lead...
Hazel Miller and The Collective will wrap up the 2024 Rock and Rails (R&R) series this Thursday evening, Aug. 29, at Whistle Stop Park. Inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in 2023, Miller and her band will perform their mix of jazz, blues, soul and popular music. Miller is one of the most sought-after performers in Colorado and has also performed elsewhere in North America, as well as in Europe, the Far East, Middle East and Central America. R&R booking manager Satir DeMarco said that...
University of Colorado Professor of Linguistics Andrew Cowell spoke to a crowd of over 40 at the Grange Hall in Niwot Aug. 21 as part of the Niwot Historical Society's Now & Then Lecture Series. Cowell has focused his research on Native American languages, and especially the Arapaho language, which he speaks, as well as efforts to preserve it. He described how anthropologists learn about historic travels of indigenous peoples, in part by comparing languages of the Arapaho Cheyenne and other...
The Niwot community and many of its events are made possible only through the efforts of community volunteers, people who dedicate their personal, unpaid time to make this town fun, eventful, and engaging. One such volunteer is Terry Larsen, treasurer and board member of the Niwot Community Association (NCA), an organization whose board is made up entirely of volunteers. For her volunteer efforts, Larsen is this month's Left Hand Laurel. Larsen has been a Niwot resident since December of 1999....
The Grange main floor hall has had another wonderful update. After many years of a mirror lurking behind curtains, there is now a beautiful continuous wall on the first floor. This update was transformative resulting in the hall feeling larger and warmer. Stop by for one of September's community events listed below and enjoy the new ambiance. Niwot Historical Society Then & Now Lecture Series Wednesday, Aug. 21, 7:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.) "The Arapaho in Boulder County and Northern...
Summer is in full swing at the Grange and August offers opportunities for the community to relish art, education, and social gatherings. Bondi Art Show Friday, August 2, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. Saturday, August 3, 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Michael Bondi's annual art show returns to the Grange. Bondi's original watercolors and prints need to be seen in person to fully appreciate the essence of each setting. His technique and choice of colors elicit a warm sense of fully being in these lovely European...
Amy Scanes-Wolfe, Niwot resident and the founder and director of High Plains Permaculture, is passionate about connecting people to their food systems. Even as a child, Scanes-Wolfe was set on becoming a farmer and has opened her community-based farm, the Niwot Homestead, which aims to feed people a local and well-rounded diet, ultimately connecting them back to the source of their food. Born in South Africa, Scanes-Wolfe moved to Longmont when she was four and later graduated from Niwot High...
The Niwot Community Association's annual Clean-Up Day event, held May 18, was its most successful to date. There were 203 vehicles that attended (including those who made multiple trips). In the days leading up to the event, there were 13 membership dues paid (new and/or renewed) with an additional 24 on the day of the event. The NCA currently tracks 34 new members who have signed up this year with many who still have not renewed their membership. New elements and accepted items that were incorp...
The Boulder Heritage Roundtable held its 32nd annual Archaeology and Historic Preservation Month awards ceremony at the Chautauqua Community House on May 8, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. There, Niwot's Kathy Koehler was presented with the Square Nail Award which recognizes individuals who have made significant and impactful movements toward historic and/or archaeological preservation/education in Boulder County. Koehler has been involved with the Niwot Historical Society (NHS) for over a decade and has...
Rock & Rails, one of Niwot's favorite long-standing summer traditions, is returning for another fun-filled, jam-packed, "off the rails" concert series for 2024. The much anticipated summer concert series is starting a week early this year on Thursday, May 30, due to a Thursday off on the 4th of July. Through the efforts of sponsors and patrons, Rock & Rails continues to work towards being a zero-waste event and venue. Composting will resume as it always has, and though compost partners are...
Thanks to the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID), the Grange building has been granted enough funds to allow the community center to complete three major improvements to the main floor hall. Watch for the rental space to be upgraded with paint and acoustic ceiling tiles by the end of April. New lighting fixtures will be installed in May. Each of these upgrades will go a long way in adding character and warmth to the venue's ambiance. The LID has approved funding half of the improvements of...
Fred Mosqueda, the Arapaho Language and Culture Program Outreach Specialist Coordinator for the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, presented an overview of the culture and history of his people, the Southern Arapahos, to a packed audience at the Left Hand Grange Hall on March 13. The lecture was presented by the Niwot Historical Society as the first in the 2024 Now & Then Lecture Series. The presentation commenced with a three-minute Arapaho prayer, which Mosqueda explained typically...
The Left Hand Valley Courier is spotlighting various local neighborhoods, their history, issues and general nature. This week, the Courier is spotlighting the Old Town residential neighborhood. Thanks to its proximity to the railroad depot, Second Avenue is one of the oldest areas of commerce in town. As the earliest Niwotians created businesses on both the eastern and western side of the railroad tracks, now the Diagonal Highway, they chose to live in or around where they worked. Eventually,...
March's lineup of lectures, music, and dancing at the Left Hand Grange offers the public many ways to connect to others in the local community both in the past and present. Also, watch for more news soon, but for now here's a tease to let Home on the Grange readers know that more aesthetic upgrades to the Grange are in the making. Lucky Niwot Day at the Grange Free Irish Folk Dance Session Saturday, March 9, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Celebrate Lucky Niwot Day at the Grange with a fun and free drop-in...
The Niwot Historical Society will present the "Arapaho Culture" as part of its Now & Then Lecture Series Wednesday, March 13, at 1 p.m. (doors open at 12:30 p.m.) at the Left Hand Grange No. 9 with Fred Mosqueda. As an Arapaho speaker, Mosqueda supports his tribe in preserving its culture, language, and traditional practices and ceremonies. Mosqueda is the Arapaho Language and Culture Program Outreach Specialist Coordinator for the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. Mosqueda also...
With roots dating to 1875, Old Town Niwot, the area on 2nd Avenue between Niwot Road and Murray Street, has always been a mixture of the familiar and the new and is widely considered to be the historic heart of town. John Nelson, a local carpenter, is credited with building the first commercial structure on Second Avenue in 1905. Most of the remaining shops in the first block were completed by 1915 and include the home of the oldest operating Grange in Colorado. These buildings comprise the...
Four Niwot-area appointed positions on Boulder County advisory boards are open for applications, which close on Friday, Jan. 19. Niwot Design Review Committee The Niwot Design Review Committee's primary role is to act as a referral agency for proposals within the Niwot Rural Community District I (NRCD I), which consists of the first block of 2nd Avenue between Murray Street and Franklin Street, plus the historic Bader House property. According to the county website, "The committee does not have...
First, just in case you were wondering, most of these groups of letters are not acronyms but initialisms, as they cannot be pronounced as a word. For example, FOMO (fear of missing out), FedEx, and NASA are pronounced as words, consequently they are acronyms, whereas ATM is not pronounced “attem,” thus an initialism. But the initialisms listed above represent organizations in Niwot, including non-profits, a taxing district and its advisory committee, and a business committee, which are all quite important to local Niwot citizens. The ini...
This year's Holiday Market at the Left Hand Grange had a record 1,003 people attending, marking a huge jump from the previous record of 635 people in one day, according to Deborah Fowler, one of the event organizers. This year, the Niwot Nickel, a specially made wooden coin worth $5 off one item in December at participating merchants, highlighted the event. Those visiting the Grange also received a tote bag with the Niwot Business Association logo on it. The Festive Food Hall at the Grange...
It's that holiday shopping time of year again, and the Niwot Holiday Market will be open beginning Saturday, Dec. 2. The Market will be set up in the Left Hand Grange and throughout downtown Niwot and Cottonwood Square from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with lots of opportunity for holiday fun and magic. The Market will return on Saturday, Dec. 9, again from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendor stands offering various seasonal goodies, local art, crafts and trinkets will line the sidewalks, and several local...
A crew of workers, led by Bryan Buikema of C8 Design + Fabrication out of Berthoud, and David Schaldach of Niwot's We Love Trees, arrived early on Wednesday morning, Nov. 15, at the intersection of Second Avenue and Niwot Road to remove the two iconic tree carvings by Native American artist Eddie Running Wolf for restoration. The willow tree trunks carved by the late artist once lined a lateral of the Hinman Ditch that ran along Niwot Road to irrigate farmland around Niwot before housing...
Blue skies and unseasonably warm temperatures set the stage for Niwot's November 11th tribute to military veterans. The ceremony began at 11:00 after The Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band played several patriotic songs as the crowd gathered, including John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever," and "America." The colors were presented by Niwot Scout Troop 161, followed by the singing of the "Star Spangled Banner." This is the fifth year for the event and the veterans banner...
The Niwot community was shocked and saddened by the death of Niwot Market owner Bert Steele following a short illness last summer. A wrestling scholarship at Niwot High School was established in his memory at the request of his family, but many in the community looked for an opportunity to create a permanent visual memorial to beloved businessman and philanthropist, who for over 20 years, quietly got to know his customers and supported every event and project in Niwot, with little to no...
Niwot's Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LID), made up of nine community members appointed by the Boulder County Commissioners, unveiled a Master Plan for Niwot, focusing primarily on the business district, at a meeting of Niwot's primary community non-profit organizations Nov. 6. The first meeting of Niwot organizations took place in the fall of 2021, when each organization had an opportunity to describe its mission and planned projects. The Nov. 6 meeting was a followup to the...
A full house listened to Ethan Knightchilde tell ghost stories of the old west at the Left Hand Grange Oct. 25. The presentation, titled "Tales of the Haunted West," was part of the 5-part Now & Then Lecture Series, sponsored by the Niwot Historical Society, and was the last presentation of the 2023 series. Knightchilde recounted his exploration of various ghost towns in Colorado, Oregon, Arizona and beyond, reading excerpts from his book, "Ghosts of the West: Tales and Legends from the Bonanza...
The Niwot Historical Society's Then & Now Lecture Series will feature award-winning cinematographer, director, writer, and lecturer Ethan "E.S." Knightchilde who will tell stories of the haunted Old West, both real and folklore, on Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m. at the Left Hand Grange. Knightchilde is an author, film maker and lecturer on old western towns and mining settlements. His award-winning film, "Ghosts of the West: The End of the Bonanza Trail," was praised as the highest rated,...
What's on tap for October at The Grange? There will be local music, group dancing, engrossing tales about the haunted West, and more. Music at The Grange Sunday, Oct. 1, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., performer sign-ups begin at 1:15 p.m. Back for the twelfth season, Music at The Grange will start the month off with a variety of local artists performing their own renditions of classics and originals. If you enjoy pop, soft rock, blues, country and folk, you're in for a treat as up to 11 artists perform t...
Do you ever wonder how to look up obscure information collected before there was the gold mine that is the internet? Historian, genealogist, and coordinator of the Boulder Pioneers Project Dina Carson is an expert at digging up loads of important data collected prior to "Googling" becoming a part of our vernacular. Discovering and deciphering piles of archive materials in repositories is Carson's super-power and she's going to share the fascinating material she has uncovered about folks who...
The Niwot Historical Society's first lecture in its annual Now & Then Lecture Series, Aug. 23, featured Daryl Mercer and the history of coins, particularly in Colorado. The Now & Then Lectures were started in 2011 by Laura Skaggs and have continued for 12 years, bringing interesting new historical insights to the history lovers in Niwot. The Now & Then Lectures are now organized by Kathy Koehler, who has been the president of the Niwot Historical Society for several years. The lecture series...
The beginning of autumn is a time of celebration at The Grange. The community will come together to revel in the season's harvest and the joy of dancing, singing, and learning together. Community Dance Lessons Tuesdays, September 5 through December 12, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. Teacher-choreographer Lindy Bartruff invites all ages and levels to the Lindybdance Fall Celebration featuring line dance classes and social dance workshops for $10/person or $15/couple. Join in fun and free dance samplers and be...
Starting this August, the Niwot Historical Society will resume its annual series of "Now & Then Lectures" covering various aspects of Colorado's history. Kathy Koehler began the series 22 years ago and they have continued even during the pandemic. Koehler is now President of the Niwot Historical Society, and has kept the series going. According to Koehler, the long history of the lectures has been successful, and the wide variety of topics are available online. "Since 2011, we have hosted four...
August's cultural events at The Grange feature enriching experiences centered on art, history, and education. Each of these events offers an opportunity for the public to enjoy historic Niwot in a community setting. Bondi Art Show Friday, August 4, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. and Saturday, August 5, 11 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Michael Bondi's annual art show returns to The Grange. Both original watercolors and prints will be available for purchase in a variety of sizes. You'll be enthralled by Bondi's evocative,...
The June meeting of the Niwot Business Association, held Tuesday, June 13 outside of the former feed store at 291 Second Avenue in Niwot, was sponsored by Osmosis Art & Architecture. Owner and architect Anne Postle greeted members and introduced Tucker Huey of her staff. Postle has been instrumental in working with John Fischer, owner of the former feed store, and the Niwot Cultural Arts Association, to arrange for Open Studios artists to use the space until early July to display art by local...
Given the weather over the last month, it seemed inevitable that rain would eventually crash a Thursday Rock & Rails party. And rain it did on Thursday night, June 15, halfway through the headline act. But that didn't stop the appreciative crowd from enjoying a country-themed evening, nor did it end the evening. Taylor Shae, a Colorado native who recently released the single, "Small Town America," started the music and happy hour off at 5:00 p.m. Shae, a singer and songwriter, has been...
Three classmates who attended the Niwot School, which included grades 1-8, located where the Diagonal Highway now runs, met at the Left Hand Grange No.9 in Niwot on May 31. The gathering was coordinated by the Niwot Historical Society with photos and images collected to be added to the Niwot historical records. John Montoya, who lives in Wheat Ridge, planned a stop in Niwot during a road trip to visit the Niwot Cemetery and the area where he grew up, and was excited to arrange a visit with two...
On May 1, the Niwot Design Review Committee held a virtual meeting to discuss the proposed new sign to be placed in front of the former Bank of the West at 97 2nd Avenue in Niwot. BMO, a subsidiary of Bank of Montreal, recently completed the acquisition of Bank of the West, and proposed new BMO signage. Andrea Vaughn, the staff liaison from Boulder County for the committee, opened the hearing and Denise Grimm of Boulder County Long Range Planning also attended. The proposed colors for a sign...
Niwot’s Local Improvement Advisory Committee (LID) approved two funding requests from the Niwot Business Association that represent major shifts in the NBA’s administrative and marketing plans. Niwot Administrative Coordinator The NBA presented a request for funding for a new Niwot Administrative Coordinator position, asking for $14,400 through the end of the year. “This part-time contract position is responsible for coordinating and executing various activities and tasks required to properly develop, maintain and promote the Niwot busin...
Did you know that Niwot had a live nude dancing venue in the 1980s? The Ace of Hearts was located at 112 2nd Avenue, now occupied by Little Bird. The show was apparently short-lived. Kathy Koehler said she contacted the Boulder County Sheriff's Office to see if anyone recalled the business. "One former deputy remembers this location," Koehler said. "She remembers that the business was open for about three weeks. The closure was related to liquor license issues rather than an eviction closure."...
Was your house at one time in the middle of a cornfield? Some of Niwot's most interesting history happened as recently as the 1980's and 90's when the downtown streets were just dirt. Shopping meant you were headed to the feed store, and Rev. Taylor's was the place to go for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And yes, many of our houses were just starting to be built on what was once had been farmland. Niwot Historical Society president, Kathy Koehler said, "There were very few trees except for the...
Some of us remember when television audiences watched spellbound as pageant host Bert Parks whittled down a row of finalists to reveal the identity of our new Miss America. The year's reigning beauty would hear her name as the last one called, then half-laughing, half-sobbing, she'd parade across the stage, one shaking hand steadying her new tiara, the other wrapped around an enormous bouquet of fresh flowers. She was the very vision of disbelief that her lifelong dream had come true. This...
Open Stage - a musical community event Sunday, April 16, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. Performer sign up begins at 1:15 p.m. This free heartwarming, foot tapping, hum-along entertainment is certain to touch your heart and soul all courtesy of our community's abundant homegrown talent. Enjoy Open Stage as an audience member or perform for the community. Everyone is welcome. Play a cover piece or an original – folk, bluegrass, rock, pop or jazz. Bring a musical instrument; a harmonica, guitar, banjo and y...
The Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LIDAC or LID) held its annual meeting with the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on Monday, March 27 in the Left Hand Grange. The members of the LID are a mix of people from businesses and community plus representatives of the Niwot Business Association (NBA) and Niwot Community Association (NCA). The commissioners serve as directors of the LID while the LIDAC advises the commissioners on ways to benefit the district through...
The Left Hand Grange is all about April showers bringing flowers, music, nostalgia, and dancing. Niwot Community Connection Monthly Meeting Thursday, April 13, 10- 11:30 a.m. Local gardener extraordinaire Cathy McCall will give a presentation during April's Niwot Community Connection monthly meeting on how to beautify our area with water-wise pocket gardens on small plots around town. Join the group for this special presentation as well as updates on what the many other NCC groups are up to....
