How things get done in Niwot – Part 2

The plat of Niwot was filed in the Boulder County records on March 30, 1875 by Porter Hinman and Ambrose Murray, laying out streets, alleys and lots on both sides of the railroad tracks, but Niwot was never officially incorporated as a town under state law. As a result, Niwot does not have a mayor or city council, and is governed by the Boulder County Commissioners.

All of the buildings west of the railroad tracks are long gone, moved or demolished when the Diagonal Highway was built beginning in 1958, but most of the early buildings and homes east of the tracks remain.

Much of the history of the community over the last 145 years has been preserved by an organization known as the Niwot Historical Society. According to the organization's website, "The Niwot Historical Society was formed in 1983 when Don Reeb, then Niwot Community School coordinator, arranged a meeting for those interested in forming a local historical group. Although the initial response was small, those in attendance formed the core group that became the Niwot Historical Society."

In 1990, the organization undertook its first major project, purchasing a grave marker for early Niwot builder and businessman John Nelson, who is buried in Ryssby Cemetery. Nelson is best known for constructing the buildings now occupied by the Left Hand Grange and Wise Buys Antiques.

Although important preservation efforts have gone on for many years, including creation of the Niwot Historic District in 1993, the first of its kind in Boulder County, it wasn't until 1994 that the Niwot Historical Society was officially incorporated.

The initial board of directors consisted of Blanche Atkinson, Kellie K. Beran, Lisa Kauffman, Idell M. Leinweber, Patricia A. Mannos, Ann Mills and Howard Morton, all Niwot residents. The organization continued the work of several business owners in Niwot who had worked with Boulder County to landmark nine buildings on the first block of 2nd Avenue.

Among them were Anne Q. Dyni, who authored several books on the history of Niwot, including "Niwot, Colorado: Echoes from a Railroad Town", published in 1994. Dyni, who recorded interviews with many long-time Niwot residents, continues to work with the organization to preserve Niwot's history.

Another project of the historical society was to move the long-forgotten Niwot Firehouse from inside the Niwot Emporium Building across the street next to the Left Hand Grange hall. The project began in 1997, and by 1999, the building was landmarked as a historic structure, originally built in 1910. The historical society uses the building, and the landscaped entrance, now known as the Firehouse Museum, to display artifacts, opening it up to the public at various holidays throughout the year.

A more recent project of the organization has been a Niwot, Now and Then lecture series. Topics have included oil and gas development in Boulder County, Native American history in Niwot, baseball in Niwot, and development of water resources in Boulder County.

Two artifacts have been recognized by the Colorado Collection Connection as among the Top 10 Artifacts in Colorado: Walt Atkinson's wooden blacksmith doors, containing many brands of area farmers (2016) and the 1910 Fire Cart, displayed outside the Fire House Museum (2017).

Most recently the organization has been collecting information about the effects of the pandemic on Niwot and its businesses and residents. Kathy Koehler is the current president of the 501 (c)3 charitable organization. Other officers and board members include Mary Claire Collins (Secretary), Terry Larsen (Treasurer), with Vivian Knaus (Accessioning Artifacts), Diane Zimmermann (Membership), Joan Grunzweig (Photo Leasing), Leonard Sitongia (Webmaster), Rob Gordon (Lecture Series Audio & Video) Donlyn Arbuthnot and Joe Betts.

To become a member, visit http://www.niwothistoricalsociety.com.