Niwot celebrates blacksmith shop centennial

It's possible to feel the past when you walk down Niwot's historic 2nd Avenue. In a few days, residents will be able to celebrate it with a commemoration of the building at 124 2nd Avenue, which was first built as a historic blacksmith shop in 1921.

On Saturday, June 26 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., the building's current occupant, Angie Miltersen, owner of Few of a Kind Vintage + Mercantile, is marking her building's centennial year, and her own first year in business.

"I'm turning one and the building is turning 100. I thought it would be a great opportunity to celebrate the season of anniversaries," Miltersen said.

Miltersen organized the event and is offering refreshments along with a Niwot-themed tote bag giveaway. She is also excited to host a visit by local historian Anne Dyni, who will sign her book "Around Niwot" and tell the stories from Niwot's history. According to Miltersen, "She's just full of a lot of information. She has a lot of sweet stories about the town."

As explained by a poster about the history of 124 2nd Avenue that is showcased within the shop, the building was built by George Atkinson. He was a skilled welder, his business had many customers, and the street "was often lined with farm implements and machines waiting to be repaired."

The in-store information also shared that Atkinson, and his son Walt Atkinson, were "Niwot's blacksmiths for more than 50 years, and the anvil they used is on display in the Fire House museum." George turned the business over to Walt after WWII. Walt became the last full time blacksmith that the town had.

Miltersen is proud to locate her newer business in a space with such history. She also appreciated that the process for occupying the space wasn't simple.

"I started looking in Niwot, probably, in October of 2019," she said. "I actually inquired about renting the Bader House but the owner of the property wasn't ready at that time. A couple of months later, I found out that Wheel Works was moving across the street and so I inquired about moving into here."

"The process for renting was pretty competitive," Miltersen said. "There were more than two people who wanted to rent this location and I was nervous. I had to give them a business proposal. They wanted to make sure that whoever was coming into here was going to be successful."

This conscientious building owner is the same Anne Dyni who will be signing books during the event. She bought it with her husband in 1985 as it was being sold by Walt Atkinson's widow and his sisters. "When we bought it there was no floor, the roof was collapsed, and the back wall was partially gone," she said.

Dyni continued, "The inside of the building was black with soot. We had to hose it down before we could begin any construction. The forge, anvil and drill presses were still there. There was a water hydrant in the middle of the floor and the large, double swinging doors were still there. Those doors had been marked with brands. They were really interesting and are still in Niwot at the Firehouse Museum."

The building is now landmarked as part of the Niwot Historic District, an entity first formed in 1993.

Miltersen came to Niwot out of an appreciation for the small town. "I've always wanted to have a shop here. I used to work up the street at Rocky Mountain Christian Academy. I worked there for 10 years. I fell in love with this place."

She further explained her feelings. "It's really about the community here. The logo, 'Small Town Big Heart' is true, 100 percent. I have regular people who will just swing the doors open and ask how I'm doing. I grew up in a small town in California. Here just feels like home."

It's that love, both past and present, that will be celebrated this weekend. "I knew that the building I chose had to be just as storied as the pieces inside it. It just blends well," finished Miltersen.