Niwot Historical Society starts annual Now & Then Lectures

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 or five lectures and/or workshops every year since inception, including lectures during the Covid pandemic. During the pandemic, when gatherings were not allowed by the health department, we worked with video volunteers who taped lectures, produced them, and we uploaded the productions to our Niwot Historical Society location on 'YouTube.'"

According to Koehler, the lecture series seeks to share some interesting and unique things about local history. "All lectures are related to the history, lives or events in Niwot or the surrounding area," Koehler said. "There were many ways that goods and services were exchanged, including fur trading. But with the Gold Rush in Colorado in 1859, a uniform legal tender system needed to be established. Coins were created with the metals mined in the foothills."

There are five lectures planned this year instead of the usual four, although only three of the lecture titles and dates have been announced. The three lectures are: "Early Coinage in Colorado," with Daryl Mercer, "Boulder County's Early Residents," with John Pughe, and "The Haunted West," with author E. S. Knightchilde. All of the monthly lectures start at 7:00 p.m. and are held at the Left Hand Grange in Niwot on a Wednesday evening.

The first lecture about the history of coins in Colorado is coming up on Aug. 23 with speaker Daryl Mercer, a Niwot resident who has a unique knowledge of the importance of coins. He will describe how coins are not only currency, but they have also impacted historical events. For example, the Gold Rush resulted in Colorado having an early history of minting coins due to the proximity of various metal mines in the mountains, which contributed to the establishment of the Denver Mint, which is not only still in use today, but is one of the two major mints in the entire United States.

Coins were important to Colorado's early economy and also shaped the survival of Colorado's cities. Mercer also plans to talk about the circulation of coins, as well as the security measures that are taken to prevent the circulation of counterfeit coins, including coin collections and the minting of medals.

"I started collecting coins as a young child, and it developed over time until I ended up as a coin dealer in Boulder and ended up owning the store for 42 years after the previous owner retired," Mercer said. "I wanted to bring in, focus on, what happened in early 1900s Colorado and concepts that people that most people are unaware [of]." Mercer owned and operated Tebo Coin Company in Boulder before retiring and selling the store.

According to Mercer, having pursued a life dedicated to coins, he became fascinated with their history and how they impact and reflect the society around them, including ancient coins.

Admission is free to Niwot Historical Society members, and $5 at the door for all others. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the lecture beginning at 7 p.m.