Nederland Design Standards and Guidelines

Prepared for: Town of Nederland P. O. Box 396 45 West First Street Nederland, CO 80466 (303) 258-3266

Prepared by: Cathleen Norman Preservation Publishing 459 South Routt Way Lakewood, CO 80226 (303) 985-2599 [email protected]

January 2, 2001 Updated May 15, 2012

This project was funded in part by a Colorado State Historical Fund Grant (99-02-034) and by the Town of Nederland. Thanks to: Nederland Mayor – Jim Miller Nederland Board of Trustees Amy Bayless, Scott Bruntjen, Mark Cohen, Dick Javes, Rich Tillotson, Henry Wheeler Nederland Planning Commissioners Michelle Allen, Robin Ames, Joe Boyd, Scott Bruntjen, Roger Cornell, John MacIntyre, Bill Martin, Steven Williams Nederland Town Clerk – Sheridan Garcia Nederland Director of Operations – Ron Trzepacz Nederland Planning Department, Technical Assistant – Judy Richardson Colorado Historical Society, State Historical Fund Technical Advisor – Estella Cole Project Consultant – Cathleen Norman, Preservation Publishing Photographers – Carole Cardon, Ed Raines, Cathleen Norman

Cover photograph, clockwise from top: Nederland from Barker Reservoir (Cathleen Norman) East First Street Business District looking east, 1909 (Boulder Carnegie Library) Oren Beach residence, 252 Peak to Peak Highway (Cathleen Norman) Wolf Tongue Mill (Ed Raines) Hinman Stable/Snyder Garage at 103 East First Street (Carole Cardon)

Table of Contents Introduction ...... 1 Purpose ...... 1 In This Book ...... 1 Frequently Asked Questions...... 2 Town Map ...... 4 Nederland’s Historic Influences ...... 5 Pre-Settlement ...... 6 Transportation ...... 7 Agriculture...... 9 Mining and Milling ...... 10 Settlement and Community Development ...... 13 Tourism and Recreation ...... 16 Nederland’s Development and Architectural Character ...... 18 Commercial District ...... 18 Residential Neighborhoods ...... 19 Commercial Parking Development ...... 20 Central Business District ...... 22 New Commercial Construction ...... 23 Site Considerations ...... 23 Design Elements ...... 28 Environment ...... 35 Parking ...... 35 Preserving Historic Commercial Buildings ...... 37 Appropriateness of Use ...... 37 Roof Forms, Materials, and Features...... 38 Storefronts, Doors, and Windows...... 38 Decorative Features ...... 39 Additions to Historic Commercial Buildings ...... 40 Building Shape, Height, and Massing ...... 40 Roof Forms, Exterior Materials, and Windows ...... 40 Historic Residential Neighborhoods ...... 41 New Residential Construction in Historic Neighborhoods ...... 43 Lot Size and Building Placement ...... 44 Height, Massing, and Form ...... 44 Roof Forms, Materials, and Features...... 45 Exterior Materials ...... 46 Windows and Doors ...... 47 Porches, Stoop Covers, and Vestibules ...... 48 Decorative Features ...... 49 Additions to Historic Residences ...... 50 Preserving Historic Residences ...... 51 Roof Forms, Materials, and Features...... 51 Exterior Materials ...... 52 Windows and Doors ...... 52 Porches, Stoop Covers, and Vestibules ...... 53

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Chimneys and Foundations ...... 53 Decorative Features ...... 54 Landscaping ...... 55 Appendix ...... 56 Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation ...... 56 Treatment Approaches ...... 57 Preservation Resources ...... 58 Organizations ...... 58 Books and other publications ...... 60 Glossary ...... 62

- ii - Introduction Nederland is a small town in the mountains of west Boulder County, incorporated in 1874. It began as a transportation and mining supply center, located at the junction of two major wagon roads. Nederland’s historic appeal to tourists and summer residents contributed to its identity, economy, and architectural character in the twentieth century. Its location at the crossroads of Highways 72 and 119 still helps sustain the town economically and contributes to its present-day growth. The Nederland Design Standards and Guidelines were developed by the Nederland’s Board of Trustees and Planning Commission to preserve the town’s unique sense of place. The Guidelines aid protection of the town’s historic buildings and rural character, which is a high priority for town leaders and for local residents.

Purpose This publication serves as a tool for the Planning Commission and Town Board in making planning decisions. It communicates expectations for compatible design of new construction to architects, developers, contractors, builders, and property owners. It also provides guidance in preserving historic properties. The Planning Commission and Town Board will apply these Standards and Guidelines as they review design plans for new construction and for additions to historic buildings. The Design Standards are enforced by local ordinance. They incorporate architectural information from the 1999 – 2000 Nederland Historic Buildings Survey. They also reflect The Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Properties, included in the Appendix.

In This Book Frequently Asked Questions explains how the Standards and Guidelines affect property owners. Nederland’s Historic Influences describes the historic events and influences that shaped the town. Nederland’s Development and Architectural Character explains how historic events contributed to the town’s growth and to the appearance of its historic buildings. It also describes the historic design elements of Nederland’s commercial buildings and residential neighborhoods. Central Business District provides mandatory Standards and voluntary Guidelines for constructing compatible new buildings in the district. It also contains Standards and Guidelines for preserving historic buildings. Historic Residential Neighborhoods provides voluntary Guidelines for compatible new residential design and for preserving historic homes. It also contains several mandatory Standards, which are part of Nederland’s Zoning Code. The Appendix contains The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and lists preservation resources. The Glossary defines architectural, planning, and historic preservation terms.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How can we keep Nederland looking the way it does now? Many people move to Nederland because they are attracted to the town’s historic character and mountain setting. An obtrusive new building or prominent new addition to a historic building could drastically change the town’s appearance. Preserving Nederland’s character requires that new construction respect the town’s historic buildings. Using similar height, scale, exterior materials, and decorative features will help a new structure fit in with the historic buildings rather than dominate them.

What is the difference between “Design Standards” and “Design Guidelines”? Design Standards are mandatory and Design Guidelines are voluntary. Design Standards apply to the Central Business District, which is bounded by First and Second streets and by Snyder and Jackson streets. Design Guidelines are provided for compatible new construction in historic neighborhoods and for preservation of historic houses.

How do the Design Standards affect new commercial construction? A new building constructed in the Central Business District must follow the Design Standards. These Standards provide directives and examples for size, scale, exterior materials, and decorative materials for commercial design. Following them helps ensure that a new building is compatible with others in the district buildings.

How do Design Guidelines affect building a new house? The residential Design Guidelines encourage builders to preserve the character of a historic neighborhood by using size, scale, design, and exterior materials that are compatible with the historic residences. The Town strongly urges builders to follow these Guidelines when building within Nederland’s historic neighborhoods  the 1916 townsite shown on the map on page 4. (The official zoning map is available to the public at the Nederland Town Hall.)

Do the Design Guidelines apply to my historic house? The Design Guidelines encourage you to preserve the authentic appearance of your historic residence. You can remodel and make whatever changes you wish inside your homes. However, following these Guidelines for the exterior of your historic house helps preserve the historic character of your neighborhood.

NOTE The Town requires that you apply for a building permit for any new building or any addition that enlarges a building outside its existing footprint. If the new construction or addition is in the Central Business District or in a historic neighborhood, you must also apply for a Design Review Certificate.

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Can I list my historic property as a landmark? Several local properties were evaluated as potentially eligible to the National or State Register of Historic Places, or as a Boulder County landmark during the 1999 – 2000 Nederland Historic Buildings Survey. These properties are listed in the Survey Log in the Survey Report, available at Nederland Town Hall. If your property was identified as potentially eligible to the National or State Register of Historic Places, you can contact the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation Colorado Historical Society for information on the nomination process. If your property was identified as a potential Boulder County landmark, please contact the Boulder County Land Use Department. These organizations are listed in the Appendix. The Town encourages owners to consider landmarking their properties and will assist as resources permit. There are presently two designated historic properties in Nederland  the Old Stone Garage and the Gillaspie House, which are Boulder County Landmarks.

Are there financial incentives restoring a historic building? Designated State or National Register properties may qualify for state and/or federal tax credits for approved preservation work. For more information on this program, contact the Colorado Historical Society. A designated historic property could be eligible for a State Historical Fund (SHF) grant, funded by gaming tax revenue. Grants are awarded for approved exterior preservation work on a public building. For example, the Old Stone Garage received a $26,000 SHF grant for interior and exterior rehabilitation as the new Nederland Mining Museum. To qualify for a grant, the property must be listed in the National or State Register or as a Boulder County’s landmark. The funded project also must follow The Secretary of Interior’s Standards listed in the Appendix.

The Hinman Stable/Snyder Garage was evaluated as potentially eligible to the National and State Register and as a Boulder County Landmark.

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Nederland Town Map

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Nederland’s Historic Influences Nederland began as a way station for prospectors, stagecoach travelers, and freight wagons in the west Boulder County mining region, and it grew through successive mining booms. The crossroads settlement beside Middle Boulder Creek provided a place to rest, feed, and water livestock. The first business of note was the two-story “Mountain Home” inn run by Nathan and Caroline Brown. The settlement was called alternately “Brownsville” and “Dayton,” until 1871, when it became large enough to warrant a post office and was renamed Middle Boulder. Early businesses included a livery stable, and merchants selling provisions and mining supplies. Nederland served as a freighting, supply, and milling center for silver, gold, and tungsten mining in the Grand Island Mining district. From 1874 to the 1950s, the town depended upon fluctuating mining activity in the surrounding area. Early growth was spurred by the 1871 development of the famous Caribou Mine four miles west of present- day Nederland. In 1871, a mill was built on the north edge of Middle Boulder Creek to process silver ore from Caribou. In 1873, the Caribou Mill and the Caribou Mine were bought by Mining Company Nederland, a Dutch firm. The following year the town of Middle Boulder was officially incorporated and renamed “Nederland,” after the new investment firm. Mining was the town’s primary economic base for several decades. Although silver mining at Caribou slowed considerably with the Silver Panic of 1893, the 1890s gold mining activity at Eldora and 1900 to 1950s tungsten mining east of town sustained Nederland’s economy. During World War I, the demand for tungsten, to harden steel used for manufacturing weapons, produced a short-lived boom in Nederland.

Nederland was a small crossroads settlement in this 1890 photograph. (Photo courtesy Norlin Library at University of Colorado)

In the 1920s, tourism helped Nederland rebound from the bust that had followed the World War I tungsten boom. Visitors from Boulder, Denver, and Midwestern states bought vacated miners’ cabins or built their own cabins on inexpensive lots. Summer cabins were concentrated on West Pine, Breed, and Spring streets, in the Pine Grove and Beach additions and some were scattered elsewhere throughout town. Several historic factors have contributed to the patchy development of the commercial core and some of the neighborhoods. The town’s business district never

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gained an appearance of permanence because its stores, hotels, boarding houses, and stables were built of wood rather than of brick or stone. Many buildings burned down, and others were torn down or moved. The roads through town, now Highways 119 and 72, were moved or re-aligned several times. This too caused loss or relocation of several buildings. The mining and tourism industries contributed to the intermittent nature of Nederland’s growth and development. The population fluctuated, expanding during increased mining activity and in the busy summer tourist season, then shrinking during mining declines and through the long winters. This left many buildings empty and deteriorating, to be torn down or lost to fire. Development through the late 1900s has been irregular, resulting in a combination of historic properties, recently constructed buildings, and several vacant lots in the downtown and some neighborhoods.

Pre-Settlement Before Europeans and Euro-Americans entered the American West, nomadic indigenous peoples inhabited Colorado. The Cheyenne and Arapaho were the last in a series of tribes that occupied the plains east of the Rocky Mountains. They hunted buffalo as their chief food source, following herds on horseback and on foot. Ute tribes inhabited the mountains, often wintering in sheltered foothill locations. Native Americans camped in the open valleys of west Boulder County and crossed the Continental Divide into Middle Park for fall hunting. The Indian Peaks area contains numerous walls used by Native Americans to guide the animals, most likely big horn sheep, and many hunting blinds. Other evidence of early inhabitation and migration include flint arrowheads and spear heads found near Sulphide Flats and numerous arrowheads at a flint bed above Eldora in the valley below Jasper Lake. In the early nineteenth century, several exploration parties entered the Rocky Mountain region to map its reaches and evaluate its natural resources. With the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, the United States acquired from France the region west of the Mississippi. President Thomas Jefferson sent the Lewis and Clark expedition to explore the Missouri River, and in 1806 dispatched the party led by Zebulon Pike to investigate the Arkansas River, the new border between the U. S. and Spanish territory. Stephen Long led an 1820 expedition to map the South Platte River, entering present-day northeastern Colorado and following the river south. Long called the plains area between the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains “the Great American Desert,” a title that discouraged farming and ranching interests for decades. Fur trappers also entered the Rocky Mountains during the early 1800s, seeking beaver pelts in demand for beaver top hats fashionable in upper-class English society. These hardy mountain men followed the tributaries of the South Platte River west into the mountains, living isolated from civilization except for the annual fur trading rendezvous. Although there is no physical evidence of this trading activity, it is likely that trappers were active in west Boulder County. The Rocky Mountain fur trapping activity ended in the 1840s, due to two factors. Beaver hats had fallen from popularity, and trapping had exhausted the Rocky Mountain beaver supply. By the late 1850s, the area was populated sparsely by lingering trappers and traders, Native American tribes, and a few Euro- American settlers.

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Transportation Nederland began as a crossroads settlement at the junction of two historic transportation routes: the Ward to Black Hawk Wagon Road and the Boulder Canyon Wagon Road. It served as an early freighting center situated beside Middle Boulder Creek, offering plentiful meadow grasses and creek water for horses, mules, and oxen. From the start, Nederland’s transportation role was interdependent with metal mining. Both wagon roads served west Boulder County mining activity. The road between Ward and Black Hawk, built in 1864 as the western leg of the Niwot and Black Hawk toll road, was soon used by wagons hauling gold ore from Ward to ore processing mills in Black Hawk. The Boulder Canyon Wagon Road was completed in 1871, following the discovery of silver at Caribou. It was built by Boulder businessmen who wanted to capture the Caribou commercial trade that was going to Gilpin County. This route soon attracted excursionists, traveling in open-topped horse-drawn wagons to view scenic sights in Boulder Canyon, such as Boulder Falls, the Perfect Tree, and Castle Rock.

Nederland began as a transportation crossroads and a silver milling town, shown in this late 1800s photograph. Stores sold provisions and groceries to miners and prospectors. (Photo courtesy Norlin Library at University of Colorado.)

Nederland served as both a freighting and milling center during successive mineral strikes. Mills built on Middle Boulder Creek processed ore from nearby mines. The largest was the Caribou silver mill built in 1871, and subsequently retooled to process gold in the 1890s and tungsten in the 1900s. When the mill, renamed the Wolf Tongue, burned in 1927, it was immediately rebuilt. Freight wagons transported ore, as well as mining supplies, building materials, food, and other goods. The town had several stables and at least one blacksmith shop to support this transportation industry. It also served as a stage stop with inns such as the Mountain Home, Hetzer House and New Nederland House accommodating travelers and prospectors. Railroad construction in west Boulder County was initially spurred by gold mining activity. The Greeley, Salt Lake & Pacific linked Boulder to the mining camp of Sunset in 1883. This line was washed out in the flood of 1894 and rebuilt in 1897 as the Colorado and Northwestern. An extension was built to Ward in 1898. The railroad hauled coal to fuel the steam-powered mining equipment and it carried ore down to processing mills at Valmont and Boulder. The C&N also transported goods, mining supplies, and building materials to the west Boulder County mining districts and freighted ice from Glacier Lake down to Boulder. The railroad also relied upon passenger service to make a profit. Visitors rode the “Switzerland Trail of America” into

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the mountain for picnics and dances at the rustic Mont Alto pavilion near Sunset. In late 1904, the C&N line was extended from Sunset to Eldora. Eldora, located three miles west of Nederland, experienced a brief gold mining boom in the 1890s, but the C&N relied primarily upon tourism in the early 1900s. The line adopted the nickname of “The Switzerland Trail of America” to entice mountain visitors. The line was temporarily extended south of Nederland during the 1908 – 1910 construction of Barker Dam. A spur built from Sulphide Flats northwest of town hauled equipment, materials, and workers to the dam site. As middle class tourists began traveling in their own automobiles, the railroad declined. The line ceased operation in 1919, its demise brought on by a series of ownership changes, bankruptcies, and a flood that tore out a portion of railroad track. Automobile roads were developed to encourage tourists to visit the area. The 1915 opening of Rocky Mountain National Park also increased visitors to west Boulder County. Within five years, an automobile route between Estes Park and Nederland had been completed. Named the Peak to Peak Highway in the 1930s, the road was originally intended to connect Longs Peak with Pikes Peak. Instead it terminated at the “Y” in north Clear Creek Canyon, at the intersection of Highway 6 and Highway 119. The Boulder Canyon road also was improved for automobiles. Between 1913 and 1915, it was rebuilt by convicts from the state penitentiary in Canon City, one of several convict road-building efforts across the state. To provide lodging for the motorists, Nederland business people built cottage camps and auto courts. The town still has two intact examples of the auto-tourism era: the stone cabins southwest of the intersection of North Jackson and Highway 72, and the row of attached, wood-shingled cottages on the east side of Highway 72 near the turn off to Caribou. Tourists also stayed in small rental cabins scattered throughout town. Several road projects aided motorized travel through Nederland. The steep northern approach on Bridge Street was closed and the road reconfigured to enter Nederland from the northwest in the early 1920s. This change necessitated moving a portion of Nederland’s hillside cemetery at the north end of Bridge Street. The Boulder Canyon road, now Highway 119, underwent extensive improvements between 1941 and 1953, including the 1949 relocation of the eastern approach into Nederland. In 1994, the “Five Points” intersection, where the two highways converge with North Bridge Street, was developed as a roundabout. Nederland today continues its traditional role as a transportation and tourism hub. The local economy still relies on travelers who patronize local filling stations, restaurants, motels, and retail shops. The Eldora ski resort, developed southwest of town in the 1960s and the gambling casinos built at nearby Black Hawk and Central City in the 1990s have increased travel through town. In the early 1990s, the Peak to Peak Highway was established as a Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway, which helped increased tourism along this route. Transportation is a key factor in the town’s present development, with many residents commuting by car and bus to employment outside Nederland.

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Agriculture Farming and ranching were important to the early Nederland economy. Meadow grasses and cultivated hay provided feed for livestock that hauled freight wagons and stagecoaches. Directories from the 1880s and 1890s list several local farmers. Root vegetables, such as potatoes, were a typical high mountain crop. Area cattle ranches supplied beef to the meat markets in Nederland and surrounding mining camps. Livestock ranches also raised horses, mules, and oxen that were crucial to local transportation.

The area beneath Barker Reservoir was originally Barker Meadows, a hay meadow owned by Hannah Barker of Boulder and run by the Hetzer family. (Photo late 1800s, courtesy Denver Public Library.) Livestock ranching began serving the tourism industry in the 1920s, as trail rides and dude ranches became popular with tourists and summer visitors. Nederland was circled by bridle trails in the 1900s and a hitching rail stood at the drugstore at 4 East First Street into the 1950s. Rodeo was a popular summer past-time as early as 1914, when a photograph taken of the town shows an arena at the eastern edge of town near Barker Reservoir. The Eldora Echo/Nederland News, a small summer newsletter published in the 1930s, announced summer rodeos, with cash prizes for steer riding, wild cow milking, bronco busting, free-for-all racing, calf roping, cow-horse relays, and trick roping. Today, prominent local ranches include the Arapahoe Ranch between Nederland and Eldora and the Giggey Ranch southeast of town. The 160-acre Scates Ranch on Magnolia Road, was recently placed in a land trust with the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. Perhaps best known is the Caribou Ranch, northwest. The ranch was homesteaded in the 1870s by Alfred Tucker. It became the Tom Tucker Boys’ Ranch in the 1920s. Lynn W. Van Vleet developed it in the 1930s as LazyVV Ranch, renowned for breeding thoroughbred Arabian horses. James W. Guerico purchased the ranch in the 1970s, and there created a destination recording studio that attracted internationally known musicians such as Elton John and the band Chicago. The Caribou studio burned down in the 1980s.

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Mining and Milling Much of Nederland’s growth was due to its location in mineral-rich west Boulder County. This mountainous area is the site of several of Colorado’s earliest gold strikes, and it contains eight major mining districts. Nederland is located in the Grand Island mining district, organized in March 1861. Grand Island, Boulder’s largest mining district, is four miles wide and sixteen miles long. It extends from Castle Rock in Boulder Canyon west to the Continental Divide. Its southern boundary is the Boulder- Gilpin county line and its northern boundary is North Boulder Creek. An 1880 history of Boulder County called Nederland “the trading-point for many important mines around.” The Grand Island district contained notable deposits of gold, silver, and tungsten. The 1860s – 1890s gold mining activity in the Ward Mining district, 1870s – 1893 silver boom at Caribou, 1890s gold strike at Eldora, and 1900 – 1950 tungsten mining helped sustain Nederland. Towns in the Grand Island district included Caribou, Cardinal, Eldora, Hessie, Grand Island, Lakewood, Sulphide, and Tungsten. Today, Nederland is the largest town remaining in the district and in west Boulder County. Many places shrank to summer communities, or, like Caribou, vanished altogether.

World War I Tungsten boom. (From 1915 Boulder County Metal Miners’ publication)

Gold mining was the earliest mining activity in west Boulder County. The area was the site of one of the state’s earliest gold rushes. In 1859 and the early 1860s, prospectors discovered substantial gold deposits twelve miles west of Boulder at Gold Hill and organized the Gold Hill Mining District. Soon after, gold was mined at Ward and hauled by wagon south to Black Hawk for processing. This transportation activity furthered the growth of the small settlement on Middle Boulder Creek. Gold was discovered in the Grand Island Mining District in the 1890s, at Eldora three miles west of Nederland. Founded in 1893, Eldora peaked at 1,000 residents, and had around a dozen businesses, a bank, town hall, jail, and schoolhouse. Eldora gold mining impacted Nederland because many prospectors stayed at Nederland hotels and boarding houses. Many miners outfitted themselves there with groceries and provisions from Nederland mercantile stores. The idle Caribou Mill at Nederland supposedly was converted to process Eldora gold.

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The 1904 extension of the C&N Railroad into Eldora boosted tourism but could not revive the short-lived gold boom. As mining dwindled, many miners’ dwellings were converted into summer tourist cabins. Gold mining activity continues today east of Caribou, at the Cross Mine operated by the Hendricks Mining Company. Tom Hendricks has run the underground operation since 1973. The property is presently under exploration in a joint partnership with a large mining corporation. Hendricks expects to begin large-scale underground gold mining by 2001. Silver mining became a strong influence in 1871, when the great Caribou silver vein was located four miles northwest of town between Nederland and the Continental Divide. The town of Caribou was laid out at an elevation of 10,000 feet altitude. Caribou reached a peak population of around 1,000 in 1873. The town was rebuilt after a major fire in 1877, but fires in 1899 and 1905 contributed to its demise. All that remains at the townsite today are barely discernible street outlines, a deteriorating wood cabin, and two stone structures on the northeast edge from the 1920s Potosi Mine. The Caribou District produced $20 million in precious metals between 1869 and 1910. Abel Breed and Benjamin Cutter, half-owners of the Caribou Mine, built a large mill at Middle Boulder to process Caribou ore in 1871. They sold the Caribou Mine and Caribou Mill in 1874 to a Dutch investment company for $3 million. This concern, the Mining Company Nederland, operated only one year, but long enough to bestow its name on the growing settlement at Middle Boulder Creek. The mine was sold at a bankruptcy sale, and passed through several different owners before ceasing operation in 1893. The Caribou Mill processed tungsten in the 1900s. When the mill burned down in 1927, it was rebuilt later that year. Tungsten mining helped sustain Nederland into the mid-twentieth century. The town is located on the western edge of a four-mile-wide, nine-mile long tungsten belt. In the 1930s, tungsten was still being mined in Big Springs at the southeast corner of town. Early prospectors had cursed the “black iron,” but in the early 1900s, tungsten became valuable as a steel hardening agent. The heavy metal’s heat-resistant properties made it ideal for use as a steel alloy for high speed tools such as drills and also for light bulb filaments. Additional uses included cylinders, piston rings, valves, and other mechanical parts subject to high temperatures. World War I created a huge demand for tungsten for munitions manufacturing, a use supposedly first discovered in Germany.

The Wolf Tongue Mill on the west edge of town is the most intact site remaining from Nederland’s tungsten mining industry. Built in late 1927, it replaced the Caribou silver mill, that burned down July 3, 1927. (Photo by Ed Raines)

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Local tungsten mining began in 1900 and continued at a low level until the demand for tungsten in World War I arms manufacturing triggered a local boom. During the 1914 - 1917 mineral rush, seven Nederland-area tungsten mining companies produced around 2,500 tons of ore per year. The Wolf Tongue was one of 22 mills in the tungsten district running at peak capacity, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The towns of Tungsten and Stevens Camp sprang up below Barker Dam. Men and women combed the mountains hoping to stake mining claims of the valuable metal, leaving prospect holes throughout the area. Nederland’s population leaped from 300 to 3,000. Ten hotels and boarding houses provided lodging for miners and mill workers. The Colorado & Northwestern added an additional train car to its daily run, and motor stages brought people up Boulder Canyon and taxied them around the Nederland area. The mining rush triggered a building boom. Eight residential neighborhoods were annexed in 1916. These were quickly built up with dozens of tiny gabled cabins. Clusters of tent cabins also sprang up throughout town. Businesses thrived. One- and two-story woodframe false-front buildings lined First Street’s three-block commercial district. The tungsten boom died almost overnight, when prices plummeted due to declining demand at the close of World War I and increased tungsten imports from China. Over $4.5 million was produced during the boom.

During the World War I tungsten boom, miners resided in vernacular cabins such as this. (Photo by Carole Cardon)

Tungsten production continued intermittently through the mid-1900s. When the Wolf Tongue Mill burned on July 3, 1927, it was rebuilt immediately. Between 1937 and into the early 1940s, tungsten mining resumed to supply the World War II munitions manufacture. By this time, the Nederland tungsten industry competed with international suppliers. Today, the Wolf Tongue Mill and its associated buildings are the only structures remaining in Nederland from the tungsten mining era. Two other tungsten mills are located in the nearby Sugarloaf area.

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Settlement and Community Development Nederland’s settlement and early development patterns resembled other west Boulder County mining communities. Impermanent structures of log and wood were built near Middle Boulder Creek, at the junction of the Ward to Black Hawk and the Boulder Canyon wagon roads. The town was incorporated in 1874, but was not surveyed and formally platted until 1877. This town plat consisted of 33 blocks, 29 of which were north of Middle Boulder Creek. Blocks in the original plat are 200’ square. Each contained ten 40’ x 100’ lots, and the streets were 60’ wide. Sometimes a single cabin or house was built on a block, then the property owner subdivided and sold surrounding lots. Several 40’ by 100’ lots have been subdivided or have small secondary dwellings at the rear of the lot. The principal thoroughfare was Bridge Street, which ran north-south as a segment of the Ward to Black Hawk Wagon Road. The Boulder Canyon Road entered town along East First Street. East-west streets received numbered names (First through Fifth). North-south streets were named for early mines, miners, or natural features, such as Breed, Caribou, Hendricks, Pine, and Spring streets. Three street names honored U. S. presidents  Jefferson, Jackson and Johnson streets. Town government and civic improvements were minimal. There was no town park or town square. Town government frequently occupied makeshift quarters. The Nederland Town Hall was first located in a converted stable located where the Stone Garage is today. The building at 45 West First, presently occupied by town government, was at one time Shorty’s movie theater. Municipal services were somewhat lacking. A municipal water system was not installed until 1916. Some residents had wells, but many hauled water for drinking, cooking, and washing. Except for Highways 119 and 72, local roads remained unpaved. A single constable provided police protection. The original commercial district lay in the 100 block of West First, as shown by early photographs and a 1914 Sanborn map. Chief businesses were inns, hotels, livery stables, and stores selling groceries and provisions. The industries of lodging, transportation, and agriculture sustained the town during the mining bust periods.

Through the mid-1900s, Nederland remained a small town with a vernacular commercial district. It was sustained by intermittent tungsten mining and seasonal tourism. (Circa 1930 photograph, courtesy of Jack Snyder).

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Despite its 125-year existence, Nederland still has an impermanent appearance, due to the loss of numerous commercial buildings, and the local practice of moving buildings and houses. The business district’s wood construction made it vulnerable to fires. In 1900, a blaze leveled the commercial district, when most of the townspeople were in Boulder attending a court proceeding. It was subsequently rebuilt. Another fire consumed the downtown district in 1911. The hazard of fire and the tungsten boom finally motivated installation of a municipal water system, which was expanded in 1938. Through the mid- 1900s, residences were moved, expanded, or torn down. These losses and the sparse development in some areas of town have resulted in lots vulnerable to development by large, modern, or otherwise inappropriate construction. Prime vacant commercial lots are east of the First Street Business District backing Middle Boulder Creek, and along the Peak to Peak Highway, west of its junction with Highway 72. Nederland had institutions typical to most small communities. Its first school was built in 1889 on the hillside northwest of town, and expanded to meet the town’s needs. During the 1930s, the stone gymnasium was built as a WPA project. The 1960s red brick school building on the north edge of town now serves as a community center. New school facilities are located west of town on the road to Eldora. The town’s two historic churches are the Presbyterian Church at 210 North Jefferson on the corner of Peak to Peak Highway and St. Rita’s Catholic Church at the east edge of town above the Boulder Canyon Highway. A third church, Calvary Chapel, now owns the log house at 233 West Second, which is one of the oldest log dwellings in town.

The Presbyterian Church was built in 1915, during the World War I tungsten mining boom. (Photograph courtesy of Jack Snyder) In spite of its boom and bust economy, Nederland grew slowly but steadily into the 1950s. The 1914 – 1917 tungsten boom was followed by abundant construction of tourist cabins in the 1920s. Minor growth continued during the 1930s and 1940s because of the ongoing tungsten mining. The town experienced the post-war boom that swept the country, evident in the steady construction of dwellings built in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Construction of summer homes continues today. The 1962 opening of the Eldora ski resort boosted local construction in that decade. Nederland’s mountain setting and depressed real estate prices made it a magnet for hippies during the 1960s and 1970s. During this period, little new development occurred, local tax revenue dropped, and town services dwindled.

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During the past two decades, new construction has taken place outside the Central Business District. Examples are the large chalet-style restaurant, large log-exterior motel, and The Village at Nederland shopping complex, shown on the right, all built on the south of Middle Boulder Creek and east of Bridge Street on the Peak to Peak Highway. In the 1980s and 1990s, commuting professionals, self-employed “lone eagles,” college students, and retired urban dwellers have moved into the town. In these decades, residences have been larger in size than the historic houses, with exteriors of smooth or rough-cut wood lapped siding, either painted or unpainted. Some incorporate stone masonry. Nederland has completed several civic projects in the past two decades. In 1988, the Visitor Center opened on First Street and Peak to Peak Highway. To accommodate travelers and visitors, the roundabout traffic circle at the junction of Highways 72 and 119 and the parking lot next to the Visitor’s Center were constructed. Two new schools have been built  the grade school north of town on Highway 72 and the high school west of town on the road to Eldora. Other projects include the covered pedestrian bridge over Middle Boulder Creek, Tungsten Trail between the town with the reservoir, and Chipeta Park.

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Tourism and Recreation Nederland’s potential as a visitor destination was recognized from its beginning. The Boulder County News in 1874 described the town as: “the joy of the mountains, notable for its location in a lovely valley that widens into a pleasant park at the head of the most remarkable canyon in Colorado… The evergreen trees on the low mountain side that slope in terraces towards the town should be sacredly preserved. Their existence, as an attraction to tourists, may become a source of much profit to the town.” In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Nederland served as both a mining camp and an unpretentious mountain resort. Summer visitors first stayed in inns like the Antler’s Hotel on the hillside on the northeast edge of town, built by Mary Roose in 1897. Nederland’s proximity to Boulder and Denver also made west Boulder County a destination for day trips. In the 1890s, the horse-drawn conveyances brought passengers up Boulder Canyon. Auto tourists arrived on expeditions in Stanley Steamers from both Boulder and Estes Park. The 1915 opening of Rocky Mountain National Park increased visitors to the area, and spurred development of resorts between Nederland and Estes Park. By the 1920s, motorists were arriving in their own vehicles. Many Boulderites, Denverites, and mid-westerners from the “Sweat Belt” bought summer cabins at Eldora, Nederland, Gold Hill, and other historic mining towns.

The McKenzie Hotel, which stood at the corner of West First and Jackson streets, was one of several hotels and boarding houses in historic Nederland. (Circa 1930 photograph, courtesy of Jack Snyder)

West Boulder County tourism received a tremendous boost from The Switzerland Trail of America railroad, the name given to the C&N Railroad and its successor, the Denver Boulder & Western. The railroad offered a variety of day trips through all the seasons, including wildflower, moonlight, autumn leaf, and snowball excursions. It provided outings for many groups. These usually involved picnics, first at the Mont Alto pavilion located above Sunset, which was moved to Glacier Lake after the Eldora Extension was completed in late 1904. Glacier Lake offered boating and other diversions as well. The line also catered to the summer visitors at the Boulder Chautauqua, who enjoyed touring the gold mines at Ward. Outdoor recreation was a peak attraction. The Nederland Fish and Game Club helped introduce elk into the area from Wyoming in 1915. The popularity of glaciers in the 1920s, a decade of fads, brought hordes of visitors for horseback rides and hikes up to Arapaho Glacier west of Nederland. Students from Colorado University had weekly climbs of south Arapahoe Peak. In 1939, the Boulder Chamber of Commerce organized its first annual car pool caravan for Fourth of July hikers up to Arapaho Glacier. Boulder County also printed promotional brochures praising the scenic wonders of west Boulder County.

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In 1920, visitors began buying summer cabins in Nederland. The 1916 residential additions and subsequent bust in tungsten mining had depressed property values and created a real estate surplus. Some lots sold merely for back taxes. Many owners expanded their cabin with various additions. They affectionately christened their summer homes with picturesque names like “Take it E-Z”, “Twenty Nine Pines,” “Just-In,” “Bair’s Den,” and “Klein’s Kabin.” Today, several places are still owned by successive generations of the same family. Many cabins lacked indoor plumbing, but summer people enjoyed the rustic adventure of using a wood Small rustic tourist cabins appealed to cook stove, outhouse, and makeshift visitors in the 1920s and 1930s. outdoor shower. During the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, auto courts and cottage camps enticed travelers from the Peak to Peak and Boulder Canyon Highways. These included the Eber Bronson cabins, George Bronson cottage camp, L. C. Jones and Standard Camps, and individual rental cabins. Nederland filling stations, grocery and drug stores, restaurants, and motels catered to the traveling public. The Nederland area also featured dude ranches and resorts, such as the Penrose Lodge at Eldora, the Arapahoe Ranch, and Tom Tucker Ranch for Boys.

The Godding Tourist Court cabins, nicknamed Caribou, Cardinal, and Conger after local mines, provided auto tourists with rudimentary amenities and rustic charm. (Photo by Carole Cardon)

The Eldora ski resort opened in 1962 and extended the local tourism season through the winter. The resort declined in the 1980s and closed during the winter of 1987, but the 1989 construction of the Corona Bowl doubled the size of Eldora and rejuvenated business. During the 1990s, the resort has attracted additional metro-Denver residents, with snowboarding facilities and access from the Boulder-Denver area via RTD. The surrounding Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forests also provide recreation for hikers, backpackers, fishermen, and hunters. Nederland’s mountain setting has a distinct impact on the lifestyle of local residents. In the 1960s and early 1970s this natural setting attracted hippies interested in the back to nature movement and self-sufficient lifestyles. Today, the forests, creeks, and wildlife are appreciated by Nederlanders, many of whom consider themselves stewards of these natural resources.

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Nederland’s Development and Architectural Character Mining, transportation, and tourism influenced Nederland’s historic development. The town originated with silver mining activity at nearby Caribou. A commercial district developed along the wagon road from Boulder, between Snyder and Jackson Streets along Middle Boulder Creek. From the 1870s until 1916, residential growth remained within the original 1877 townsite  north of Middle Boulder Creek and west of Bridge Street. During the World War I tungsten boom, eight residential additions were made to the original town plat. Nederland lacked a strong, persistent economy, and barely progressed beyond the settlement phase until the 1900s. The town’s most significant growth came during the World War I tungsten boom. During the boom, buildings were constructed of wood, rather than brick or stone. After the mining boom, many of the quickly built wood structures were moved or demolished. Other buildings were substantially altered. In the mid-1900s, Nederland’s growth was sporadic and relied upon intermittent mining activity and summer tourism. During periods of mining decline and through the long winters, businesses closed and buildings and dwellings stood empty. Several buildings were lost to fires or to deterioration, which contributed to the uneven appearance of Nederland’s commercial core and some of its historic neighborhoods.

Central Business District

Most of Nederland’s historic buildings were small in size and simple in design. They were one to two stories in height and lacked elaborate decorative details. They had a traditional storefront arrangement seen in many turn-of-the-century commercial buildings: a recessed entrance flanked by large display windows. Some storefronts had transom windows and kickplates. The woodframe buildings east of the highway on First Street exhibit the small scale, simple design, and wood materials that are typical of early Nederland. West First Street contains the Nederland Town Hall and the altered historic buildings at Wolf Tongue Square, both of which date to the early 1900s.

One-story height, wooden materials, and vernacular design are typical of Nederland’s historic commercial buildings.

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Residential Neighborhoods

Nederland’s residential neighborhoods reflect the fluctuating mining industry and the twentieth-century rise of tourism. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, residences consisted of log dwellings, gabled woodframe houses, and a few hipped-roof residences. During the World War I tungsten boom, residents built woodframe, gabled cabins. In later years, many of these were moved or enlarged as tourist cabins or year-round residences. The demand for summer homes spurred construction from the 1920s on. These consisted of small dwellings, often clad in millwaste for a log exterior effect. Practicality influenced the choice of building materials. Builders used local lumber milled from the surrounding forests and native stone for chimneys and foundations. Exterior materials included log, log facing, clapboards, shiplap siding, shingles, lapped siding, or board and batten siding. Brick was rare, because it had to be hauled from Boulder or Denver. Roof materials included corrugated metal, wood shingles, and rolled asphalt. Windows typically were double-hung sash, paired four- or six-lite woodframe casements or sliders and small square 4-lite fixed windows. The town’s historic houses possess few decorative features. Many nineteenth- century Colorado mining towns built fancy Victorian-era residences with abundant ornamentation  elaborate gable-end shingling, turned porch posts, carved porch brackets, bay windows, and colored glass windows. In contrast, most of Nederland’s historic residences were built in the 1900s, and their design is simple and economical. Architectural features are more practical than aesthetic, such as triangular knee braces that support gable ends and functional window shutters that allow summer residents to close up their house for the winter. Prominent exterior stone chimneys reflect rustic design popular nationally and locally in the 1920s and 1930s, and also made use of the plentiful field stone, and, occasionally, river stone. A common quality of the town’s historic dwellings is their small size  over half of the houses built prior to 1951 are smaller than 900 square feet. Nearly one-third are 300 to 700 square feet in size. Many of these were enlarged from one- or two-room miners’ cabins and tiny summer cottages, expanded with new rooms, wings, and shed- roofed additions. Some summer homes were converted to year-round use by enclosing porches and adding vestibules to accommodate the cold mountain winters. .

Most of Nederland’s historic houses are small in size and vernacular in design. (Photo by Carole Cardon)

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Commercial Parking Development As the Town of Nederland does not currently have a comprehensive Storm Water Management System in place, developers are asked to provide design and construct parking lots that contain alternative, sustainable, and permeable materials and include innovative storm water management techniques, often referred to as storm water “best management practices” (BMPs). BMPs should address peak discharge, runoff volume, infiltration capacity, base flow levels, ground water recharge, and maintenance of water quality, so that they are ideally managed to maintain the pre-development storm water filtration conditions of the site. Plans should be stamped by a licensed professional engineer and include maintenance criteria. It should be noted that BMPs help to attain

the Clean Water Act’s mandate to “restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters.” By 2025, the U.S. population is predicted to

grow 22 percent, which could mean an additional 68 million acres of development, a good fraction of which will be dedicated to parking. Thus, BMPs may play a larger role in the future to mitigate non-point water pollution. Wherever possible, the Town of Nederland encourages the use of alternative materials instead of concrete and asphalt. Conventional parking lots, typically paved with concrete or asphalt, are generally impervious, heat absorbing surfaces that do not allow water to filter into the soil, inhibiting the natural water cycle and creating seasonal “heat islands.” Also, parking lots have traditionally been built with the primary goal of channeling storm water into receiving water bodies as quickly as possible, via means such as gutters, inlets and storm drains. As a result, runoff contaminated with lots of petroleum residues, fertilizers, pesticides, and other pollutants originating from parking lots enters receiving waters at an unnaturally high rate and volume, negatively impacting the local ecosystem. The negative environmental effects associated with large impervious surface areas of parking lots can be reduced through the use of permeable pavement materials as substitutes for conventional pavement materials. Substitute permeable and semipermeable pavement materials including gravel, cobbles, wood mulch, brick, open jointed pavers filled with turf or aggregate, turf blocks, natural stone, and pervious concrete or asphalt. Based on a site’s characteristics (i.e. traffic volume, soil type,

topography etc.), alternative pavement materials may not be feasible for the entire surface of primary parking areas. However, in many cases, the aisles and driveways can be constructed using conventional pavements, while alternative pavement materials can be used in parking stalls, crosswalks, and overflow lots. Alternative pavement materials can slow the flow of runoff, allowing water to filter through the soil, recharging local groundwater and allowing treatment or removal of runoff pollutants. This encouragement does not preclude the need for parking designs to meet ADA requirements for handicapped accessible parking spaces and areas. When designing a parking lot area, landscapers are encouraged to use native trees and shrubs rather than non-indigenous species. Native plants are more suitable to the local climate and require less irrigation. Increasing the amount of greenscape in and around parking areas will benefit in the reduction of carbon dioxide in the air; improve

erosion and sediment control; increase aquifer recharge; and improve storm water management. Landscaping choices should be compatible with individual site characteristics including topography, soil, drainage patterns, and sun exposure. Parking requirements should be determined on a project-by-project basis instead of by formula, taking into consideration how a property’s topography or other physical

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characteristics can shape parking needs. This approach may decrease the required parking capacity where there is accessibility to public transportation and/or a high level of foot and bike traffic.

Referenced: Environmental Protection Agency, Green Parking Lot Resource Guide-2008 This section adopted by the Board of Trustees, Ordinance 707, dated May 15, 2012

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Central Business District The Central Business District lies between First and Second streets and Snyder and Jackson streets. The historic buildings exhibit the site characteristics and design elements encouraged for new construction in downtown Nederland. The common alignment of East First Street building fronts forms a visual unity. The wood exterior, varying building widths, and the storefront arrangement of recessed door and large display windows are typical of historic buildings in early Nederland. Common characteristics of historic commercial buildings in Nederland include:

1. Irregularly sized lot, most often 40 feet wide. 2. Rectangular form, placed with narrow end facing the street. 3. On East First Street, located at the front of the lot (zero lot line). 4. Height of one to two stories. 5. Various roof forms:  front-gabled roof  front-gabled roof with a false front  flat roof with a low front parapet and gradual slope toward the rear of the building. 6. Flat front façade with no setback or indentation except at the entryway. 7. Store fronts consisting of a recessed doorway and large display windows. 8. Wood exterior materials such as painted lapped siding or painted log slab facing. 9. Wood sidewalks or “boardwalks” along the front façade.

This 1890s photograph of Nederland shows the one- and two-story, false front commercial buildings typical here at that time. (Photograph Norlin Library at University of Colorado)

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New Commercial Construction New commercial construction should reflect rather than overpower the small size and simple design of the existing buildings in Nederland’s Central Business District. The form, height, exterior materials, and design elements of a new building should appear similar to those of buildings in the Central Business District. This chapter provides required Standards and suggested Guidelines for new commercial construction in the Central Business District. It also contains Standards and Guidelines for preserving historic buildings and for making additions to historic buildings.

New construction in the Central Business District should be compatible with the small size and simple design of the existing buildings.

Site Considerations The way in which a building is placed on its lot and relates to the neighboring buildings contributes to the cohesive unity of a historic commercial district. Buildings in historic Nederland were typically rectangular in form, one to two stories in height, and placed on a lot that was typically 40’ wide. New construction should reflect this size, height, and arrangement. Site considerations for new commercial construction include:  height and width  form and mass  placement  scale and rhythm.

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Height and Width Nederland’s historic buildings are one to two stories tall. As in many historic commercial districts, these buildings are approximately 25 to 40 feet wide. Larger buildings typically were divided into narrower sections. The visual division of a wide façade broken up into narrower units created a strong visual pattern that should be reflected in new construction.

STANDARDS 1. New construction must be no more than 35 feet in height. 2. The storefront shall extend at least twelve feet in height, regardless of whether a second floor exists. 3. Larger building façades should be visually broken up into narrower visual modules. If the rear of the building is highly visible, such as on the lots abutting the creek, it should also be visually subdivided.

New commercial buildings in Boulder (left) and Niwot (below) show how a wide building can be divided into smaller visual units.

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Form and Mass The historic commercial buildings in the Central Business District were typically rectangular in form. Buildings usually were long and deep, conforming to rectangular lots of irregular sizes. Historic buildings typically were smaller in mass than contemporary commercial buildings. This smaller size provided a more human scale, accentuated by boardwalks and large display windows that invited pedestrians down the street and into the stores.

STANDARDS 1. A new building should be a rectangular form. 2. The width of a new building should appear similar to that of historic commercial buildings, most often 40 feet wide. 3. The mass of a new building should appear similar to that of the historic ones. A large new building should be broken into smaller visual modules.

This contemporary building in the historic silver mining town of Georgetown reflects the form and mass of adjacent historic buildings. It also incorporates architectural elements and decorative features similar to those in that town’s historic commercial district.

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Placement How a historic building is placed on its lot and relates to the neighboring buildings contributes to the visual unity of a historic commercial district. Buildings placed at the front of a lot with front façades aligned along the sidewalk edge contribute to a historic district’s pedestrian orientation. An example of this is the placement of commercial buildings on East First Street. Meanwhile, Nederland Town Hall and the Wolf Tongue Square buildings at 1 and 45 West First are no longer aligned thus, because they were moved back from the front lot line several decades ago to accommodate the angled placement of the Peak to Peak Highway. (The highway has since been rerouted to its present location on West Second Street.)

STANDARDS 1. A new building should be built to the front of the property line. It should have zero front and side setbacks. 2. The building shall be oriented so that its front is parallel with the edge of the right-of-way of First Street. 3. The building front shall be continuous along the existing line of building fronts between Highway 119 and Snyder Street on First Street. 4. Recessed arcades or buildings set back from the existing building line shall not be permitted. 5. For those portions of First Street where a boardwalk treatment exists, new construction shall maintain a continuous walkway appearing similar to a wood boardwalk.

New buildings on East First Street have been placed at the front of the lot line, to create a uniform alignment along the sidewalk’s edge.

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Scale and Rhythm A historic building typically possessed a pedestrian orientation that also conveyed a human scale. This should be reflected in the design of new commercial buildings on First Street. The way in which a building relates to its neighboring structures contributes to the visual unity of a historic district. This series of similarly proportioned buildings provides a rhythm that should be respected by new construction. On a larger building, a narrower division of the façade can replicate this rhythmic relationship. Uniform building heights, rooflines, and parapets also provide a horizontal continuity that contributes to the district’s cohesiveness and visual appeal.

STANDARDS 1. A façade should appear similar in dimension to that of an historic building. A larger building should be broken into narrower visual modules of varying widths by some significant distinction of storefronts, ornamentation, and other detailing. 2. Two-story buildings should have a clear distinction between the ground floor and upper floors. 3. The rhythm, pattern and shape of upper floor windows should resemble those of historic buildings.

GUIDELINE 1. The traditional pattern of aligned horizontal building elements should be incorporated with aligning floor-to-floor heights, storefronts, parapets, cornices, and second-story windows.

This large new building in Central City has been broken up into narrower storefront sections.

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Design Elements The vernacular design of Nederland’s historic buildings was influenced by the local economy, by local availability of wood and stone, and by functionality. These design elements include:  exterior materials  roof forms, materials and features  storefronts  windows  decorative features. Each element is addressed separately in this section. In general, design elements of new construction should appear similar to those of surrounding buildings. Elements should appear similar, but not identical, to those of nearby buildings.

Typical design elements of historic Nederland buildings include a wooden exterior, a roof with parapet or false front, and a recessed entrance with large display windows, such as those on this building at 4 East First.

This commercial building in downtown Niwot incorporates a wood façade, small storefront arrangements, large display windows, a roof cornice, and fabric window awnings to achieve an appearance compatible with older buildings in the historic commercial district.

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Exterior Materials Nederland’s historic commercial construction typically used local building materials, primarily lumber products from local sawmills. These products included log, wood lapped siding, shiplap siding, and log (“half log”) facing. Although not typically used in historic Nederland, brick is an appropriate material today.

STANDARDS 1. Exterior materials for new commercial construction should appear similar in quality, texture, finish and dimension to that those of buildings in the Central Business District. 2. Brick is an appropriate exterior material. 3. If stone is used, it should have a historic appearance, such as random-coursed field stone or quarried stone block.

GUIDELINES 1. Traditional materials such as painted wood lapped siding and painted log (“half log”) facing are encouraged. 2. Consider limiting stone material to use as an accent detail, for example in the foundation, in a base course of the building, in a string course separating first and second stories, or around windows.

This new building in Georgetown, Colorado employs modern materials that resemble the wooden siding and masonry block used historically in that town.

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Roof Forms, Materials, and Features Roof forms on Nederland’s historic buildings consisted of several types. Some woodframe buildings had a front-gabled roof, with a false front façade or front roof parapet, such as the Nederland Town Hall (below left) or the building at 4 East First. Others had a flat roof, stepped toward the rear to provide drainage, such as 26 East First (below right).

Masonry commercial buildings found in Nederland’s historic counterparts, such as Central City or Idaho Springs, typically had flat roofs that sloped toward the rear to provide water drainage. These also had brick or cast iron cornices at the roof line of the front façade. Both gabled and flat roof forms are acceptable for new commercial construction in Nederland. Although wood roof shingles were historically used in Nederland, this material is prohibited today because of their flammability. Modern roof features, such as skylights or mechanical equipment should be placed so they do not visually dominate the building.

STANDARDS 1. All roofs shall have a pitch of 2:12 or steeper and the roofline shall be shielded from public view at the front by an acceptable façade. 2. Flat roofs may be permitted, if their appearance is shielded from view by building fascia or parapet, which conceals the roof from public view from all points within the adjacent street. 3. Per manufacturers’ requirements, shingled roofs must have a minimum slope of 3:12. 4. The following roofing materials shall be permitted and no others: earth-toned metal, acid-washed copper, asphalt or fiberglass composite shingles, flat unglazed tile, slate, and membrane. Although wood shingles were used historically in Nederland, wood shingles are not allowed as a roofing material because of their flammability. 5. Appropriate materials for flat roofs are PVC, torch down, EPDM (membrane), and tar and gravel. 6. Cornices, eaves, canopies, sunshades, gutters, chimneys, flues, belt courses, leaders, sills, pilasters, lintels, ornamental features and other similar architectural features may not project more than three feet into a required yard or into required open space. 7. Skylights and rooftop mechanical equipment should be placed toward the rear of a building or should be screened so they are not highly visible from the street.

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Storefronts The storefront is an integral element of the façade of a historic commercial building. The storefront typically had a centered, recessed opening and large display windows with kickplates below and, often, transom windows above. New commercial design should reflect this traditional arrangement.

STANDARDS 1. The design of a retail commercial building shall constitute a vertical storefront which shall incorporate display windows which shall make up at least fifty percent of first floor building store front and which start at a point at least one and one half feet above the finished grade or sidewalk, whichever shall be higher, and shall go up eight feet and shall be square or rectangular oriented vertically. 2. Storefronts shall be one continuous vertical expanse from the first floor through the second floor. 3. The storefront shall extend at least fourteen feet in height from ground level to the top of parapet, regardless of whether a second floor exists.

GUIDELINES 1. Contemporary versions of traditional features such as kickplates and transom windows are encouraged. 2. A recessed entry is encouraged. 3. Slightly protruding architectural features, such as a roofline cornice or a molding that divides the first and second story, are encouraged.

This new commercial building in Georgetown has a centered entrance, large display windows, and tall narrow second story windows similar to those of the town’s historic buildings.

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Windows The storefront contained large, first-story display windows. Historic buildings had multiple vertical, rectangular windows in the upper stories. These were usually arranged with a rhythmic spacing. Historic windows were typically wood-sash and double-hung. New commercial design should reflect these historic characteristics.

STANDARDS 1. Second story windows shall be square or vertically rectangular with no more than four windows per fifty feet of store frontage. 2. If second-story windows are to be operable, they must be of double-hung design. 3. All second-story window frames and sashes shall be of wood or of a wood appearance.

GUIDELINES 1. Contemporary versions of window features such as molding, lintels, and lug sills are encouraged. 2. Second-story windows should be tall and narrow, with a ratio of more wall than glass, and with a rhythmic spacing similar to their historical counterparts.

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Decorative Features Nederland’s historic buildings had minimal ornamentation. Features such as transom windows, roof brackets, cornices, and kickplates were functional as well as aesthetic. Brackets supported a molding cornice above a false front façade, kickplates protected the lower area of the storefront from children and street scuffles, and transom windows allowed sunlight into the rear of the long, rectangular building. These types of decorative features would be considered appropriate for new commercial construction in Nederland.

GUIDELINES 1. Suggested decorative features for roof cornices include molding and roof brackets, or patterned brick (corbelling) for brick buildings. 2. Suggested storefront details include transom windows and kickplates. 3. Contemporary renditions of historic details are encouraged.

This new building in downtown Georgetown has a contemporary rendition of a molded roof cornice and paired brackets.

A contemporary version of historic features, like these roof brackets and dentils, are encouraged.

Simple wood roof brackets on roof cornice in Black Hawk.

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These commercial buildings from Boulder (above) and Cripple Creek (at left) employ different approaches for design compatible with historic buildings.

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Environment Environmental factors contribute to the character of a historic commercial district. Boardwalks connect storefronts and provide a pedestrian appeal. Modern requirements of automobile parking, signage, and electrical lighting need to be considered, as they too can affect the historic character. Pedestrian Walkways A continuous pedestrian walkway connected historic First Street buildings to help keep pedestrians from being soiled by dust and mud. The walkway also handled the north to south drop in elevation along East First Street, especially on the south side of the street. The historic boardwalks have been reconstructed on East First Street.

STANDARD 1. New commercial construction adjacent to an existing historic building should have a wood boardwalk or walkway of another material that has a boardwalk like appearance along the front. Parking New Nederland businesses are required to provide customer parking.

STANDARD 1. At present, property uses within the Central Business District are exempt from parking requirements. Certain uses within the Central Business District are exempt from parking requirements under current Nederland Municipal Code.

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Signs Modern-looking signs detract from the historic appearance of a commercial district. Sections 18-83 through 18-103 of the Nederland Municipal Code define acceptable sign dimensions and types, and describe the permit application and review process for signage.

GUIDELINES 1. Recommended are façade signs, awning signs, and hanging signs. 2. Use sign materials that are compatible with the façade materials and similar to those used historically. Painted wood and metal are more appropriate than plastic or neon. 3. Mount signs so they will not obscure any architectural details. 4. Consider painting a sign on the window or hanging a sign on the inside of the window. Lighting Exterior lighting is necessary for physical safety and to deter crime. Contemporary lighting offers a variety of choices compatible with the Central Business District’s historic character.

STANDARDS 1. Lights must be shielded so that the beams or rays of light will not shine directly into surrounding areas or buildings. 2. Neither the direct nor the reflected lights from any light source may shine onto a roadway so as to create a traffic hazard to operators of motor vehicles on public thoroughfares. 3. No beacon lights or blinking, flashing or fluttering lights, or other illuminated device which has a changing light, brightness, or color shall be permitted in any district.

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Preserving Historic Commercial Buildings The original roof forms, historic building materials, storefront arrangements, and simple decorative elements distinguish Nederland’s Central Business District. These elements should be preserved.

Historic elements, such as the log slab exterior, front roof parapet, recessed entrance, and large display windows on this building at 4 East First, should be preserved.

Appropriateness of Use Selecting a new use that is similar to a building’s original function can help minimize substantial changes to the historic building.

STANDARDS 1. Seek a new use that is compatible with the historic character of the building. 2. Select a new use that requires minimal change to the original structure.

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Roof Forms, Materials, and Features Roofs on Nederland’s historic buildings are either front-gabled or flat with a gentle slope to the rear. Taller front-gabled buildings may have a false-front façade, while one-story buildings have a front parapet. Historic roof materials included metal, wood shingles, and asphalt. Today, wood shingles are prohibited in Nederland because of their flammability.

STANDARDS 1. The following roofing materials shall be permitted and no others: earth-toned metal, acid-washed copper, asphalt or fiberglass composite shingles, flat unglazed tile, slate, and membrane. Although wood shingles were used historically in Nederland, wood shingles are not allowed as a roofing material because of their flammability. 2. Preserve the historic roof shape, façade, and parapet. 3. Place roof-top mechanical equipment toward the rear of the building or screen the equipment so that it is not visible from the street.

Storefronts, Doors, and Windows The traditional arrangement of recessed entrance and large display windows are essential to the historic appearance of a historic building. These should be preserved.

STANDARDS 1. Preserve the original arrangement of recessed entry and large display windows. 2. Preserve historic elements such as transom windows, kickplates, and transoms. 3. Preserve original window openings and locations.

GUIDELINE 1. Consider restoring original storefront arrangements.

Historic storefronts typically had large glass windows and a centered, recessed entrance.

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Decorative Features Nederland’s historic commercial buildings typically had minimal ornamentation. Features such as roof brackets, kickplates, and transom windows were functional as well as aesthetic.

STANDARD 1. Preserve original decorative features, such as roof brackets, kickplates, and transom windows.

Roof cornice

Roof parapet

Transom

Recessed entrance

Kickplate

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Additions to Historic Commercial Buildings An incompatible addition can detract from or even destroy the historic appearance of a building. An addition must be carefully planned so that it does not dominate the original building.

Building Shape, Height, and Massing Traditionally, historic commercial buildings were rectangular in shape. They conformed to the narrow deep commercial lots that lined First Street. Sometimes porches or shed- roofed additions were placed on the rear. Additions should not detract from the original form, footprint, or height of a historic building.

STANDARDS 1. Place new additions toward the rear and make them visually subordinate to the historic structure. 2. Preserve the original rectangular form of the historic building. 3. Preserve the original height of a historic building. 4. Preserve the rear additions built in the early 1900s.

GUIDELINE 1. Preserve the original footprint of the historic building.

Roof Forms, Exterior Materials, and Windows An addition should reflect the roof form, the exterior materials, and the window shapes of the original building.

STANDARDS 1. The roof form of an addition should be of similar shape and form as the original building. 2. The following roofing materials shall be permitted and no others: earth-toned metal, acid-washed copper, asphalt or fiberglass composite shingles, flat unglazed tile, slate, and membrane. Although wood shingles were used historically in Nederland, wood shingles are not allowed as a roofing material because of their flammability. 3. Additions should be clad in exterior material(s) that resemble the appearance, texture, and dimension of the historic materials on the original building. 4. Windows in an addition should be similar to those in the original building.

- 40 - Nederland’s Architectural Heritage

Historic Residential Neighborhoods The small size, simple design, native building materials, and minimal architectural ornamentation of these historic homes reflect Nederland’s history and the tastes of its early inhabitants. To preserve the town’s historic appearance, it is important that new construction within the historic neighborhoods respect the character of these earlier residences. Chief characteristics of Nederland’s historic residential neighborhoods include: 1. Lot width a minimum of 40 feet. 2. Setbacks of 20 to 30 feet from the street. 3. Height of one to 1.5 story. 4. Gabled and hipped roof forms. 5. Entrances typically facing the street. 6. Wood exterior materials such as log, log (“half log”) facing, or lapped wood siding. Historic materials also include stamped metal, brick-patterned rolled asphalt and wood shingles. 7. Roofs of corrugated metal, rolled asphalt, and asphalt shingles. 8. Prominent exterior stone chimneys, usually placed on the dwelling’s gable end. 9. Porches, enclosed porches, and vestibules. 10. Small, shed-roofed additions at the rear. 11. Decorative features that also serve functional purposes: closing shutters with a cut-out pine or other motif, triangular knee braces that support roof eaves, stoop covers with tri-spoke motif, window boxes, and family name plates on summer homes. 12. Landscaping such as native trees, boulders, boulder fences, rustic wood fences, and wildflower gardens.

Prominent exterior stone chimneys and tri- spoke gable ends are typical design elements found in Nederland’s historic neighborhoods.

- 41 - Historic Residential Neighborhoods

This section refers to the historic neighborhoods within the 1916 Nederland townsite, as shown below. The Standards within this section are taken from Nederland Zoning Code, which applies to all residential construction within the present town limits.

- 42 - Historic Residential Neighborhoods

New Residential Construction in Historic Neighborhoods A new residence should respect its neighboring historic houses. It should blend in with, rather than over power, the small size and simple design of those historically built in Nederland. This section provides required Standards and suggested Guidelines for new residential construction. The Standards, which typically deal with building safety or easement issues, are enforced by Nederland’s Zoning Code. The Guidelines provide suggestions and illustrations for designing new construction that is compatible with Nederland’s historic dwellings. It is followed by a section containing Standards and Guidelines for additions to historic residences and for preserving historic residences.

This new residence illustrates how adequate setback, log exterior, and landscaping help prevent a large new dwelling from overwhelming its smaller, historic neighbors.

NOTE The Standards contained in this chapter are from Nederland’s Zoning Code.

- 43 - Historic Residential Neighborhoods

Lot Size and Building Placement Historically, residential lots in Nederland were typically 40 feet wide and 100 feet deep. Residences were usually built back from the street. For tourist cabins this placement provided distance from street traffic. Landscaping of evergreens and aspen furthered the division between the private yard and the street and neighboring houses.

STANDARD 1. Follow the minimum lot size, width, and setback, as identified in Zoning Code section 16-33: Low Density Medium Density High Density Minimum lot area 16,000 8,000 4,000 Minimum lot width 100 70 40 Minimum front setback 30 25 20 Minimum side yard setback 15 10 5 (principal uses) Minimum side yard setback 10 5 5 (accessory uses) Minimum rear yard setback 40 25 15 (principal uses) Minimum rear yard setback 10 5 5 (accessory uses)

GUIDELINE 1. Place new residences on their sites in ways similar to adjacent historic dwellings.

Height, Massing, and Form Historic Nederland residences are one or one-and-one-half stories in height and small in size. Most had square, rectangular, or L-shaped footprints. They were often expanded by wings or additions, which were smaller than the historic structure and usually placed at the rear of the dwelling.

STANDARD 1. New construction must be no more than 35 feet in height.

GUIDELINES 1. New residences should respect the scale and massing of the neighboring historic dwellings. 2. Consider using a building form similar to adjacent historic residences.

- 44 - Historic Residential Neighborhoods

Roof Forms, Materials, and Features Historic roofs were typically hipped or gabled. Historic roof materials included corrugated metal, rolled asphalt, wood shingles, or asphalt shingles. However, wood shingles are prohibited today because of their flammability.

STANDARDS 1. Eaves overhangs shall be at least one (1) foot from the exterior wall. 2. The following roofing materials shall be permitted and no others: earth-toned metal, acid-washed copper, asphalt or fiberglass composite shingles, flat unglazed tile, slate, and membrane. Although wood shingles were used historically in Nederland, wood shingles are not allowed as a roofing material because of their flammability. 3. All roofs on primary dwellings shall have a pitch of 4:12 or steeper. Dormers and porches may be less by review. 4. Per manufacturers’ requirements, shingled roofs must have a minimum slope of 3:12.

GUIDELINES 1. Consider using a hipped or gabled roof form similar to that of the nearby historic houses. 2. Place solar panels and skylights so that they are not highly visible from the street.

- 45 - Historic Residential Neighborhoods

Exterior Materials Typically, exterior materials were native wood products from local saw mills and lumber yards, such as log, log slab (mill waste), shiplap siding, unpainted wood siding, wood shingles, and, from the 1930s, half-log facing. Field stone was used in exterior chimneys and in foundations. Riverstone was occasionally used also. Materials on new structures should have the appearance of these historic materials. For example, Hardyplank masonite appears similar to shiplap siding used in the early to mid 1900s.

STANDARDS 1. Allowable wood exterior materials are: glazed timber, logs, board, board and batten, and wood siding. Allowable masonry exterior materials are stone and brick. 2. All logs shall be peeled. 3. Milled logs, timbers, including board, board and batten, and wood siding shall be oiled, varnished, lacquered, shellacked, stained, or painted. 4. All exposed foundation walls must be stone façade, stucco or exposed aggregate concrete. 5. The maximum allowed exposure of smooth concrete is twelve inches above grade. The remaining foundation shall be surfaced to be compatible with the primary structure.

Log and bark-edge siding (shown here), as well as wooden lapped siding, and board and batten are appropriate exterior materials for new construction in historic neighborhoods.

- 46 - Historic Residential Neighborhoods

Windows and Doors Typical windows in historic Nederland neighborhoods had multiple panes. These included multi-paned casement windows (which open outward), wood-frame, multi- paned slider windows, or small 4-lite fixed sash windows. Double hung windows were used chiefly in dwellings built prior to 1920. Primary entrances were typically in the street-facing façade.

GUIDELINES 1. Consider using windows in similar shapes as those on neighboring historic houses. 2. If using large windows, consider multi-paned ones, rather than a large single pane. 3. Place large picture windows on the side or rear walls rather than the street-facing façade. 4. Use window frames and window sashes that are wood or that appear similar to wood. 5. Consider placing the primary door in the front façade.

- 47 - Historic Residential Neighborhoods

Porches, Stoop Covers, and Vestibules Several historic Nederland homes had porches. These were typically small. Several used wood poles and posts as supports and banisters. Turned porch posts and Victorian-era decorative features were not common on local porches. A tri-spoke motif used on gabled stoop covers, reflect the rustic design influence in the 1920s -–1940s.

GUIDELINES 1. Consider including a small front porch or vestibule to your new dwelling design. 2. Consider using rustic posts and banisters. 3. Consider a stoop cover with a tri-spoke motif.

These are examples of porch treatments in Nederland historic neighborhoods.

- 48 - Historic Residential Neighborhoods

Decorative Features Decorative features in Nederland residences were subdued, and usually both functional and aesthetic. Examples include distinctive log end treatments, rustic-style porches, triangular knee braces, window shutters with cut-out designs, and the tri-spoke motif used in gabled stoop covers.

GUIDELINES 1. Consider using simple decorative features typical to historic Nederland. 2. Window treatments include cut-out shutters and window flower boxes. 3. Consider using posts and poles as porch supports and banisters. 4. Consider limiting decorative detail to the simple elements traditionally used in Nederland, such as fish-scale shingles on the gable end, turned porch posts, and simple porch brackets. 5. Consider contemporary renditions of historic features typical to the neighborhood.

These are examples of the modest decorative features found in Nederland: raw porch posts, triangular knee brace at the roof eaves, functional shutters, and decorative window shutters with cut out patterns.

- 49 - Historic Residential Neighborhoods

Additions to Historic Residences Additions to historic residences were very common in Nederland. Many home owners enlarged their small dwellings with wings or with shed-roofed additions on the rear. People also expanded dwellings as they converted them from summer homes to year- round residences. An incompatible addition can detract from or even destroy the historic appearance of a historic house. An addition must be carefully planned so that it does not overwhelm the original dwelling.

STANDARDS 1. The height of a new addition must be no more than 35 feet in height. 2. Any remodeling or additions must maintain the original roof form.

GUIDELINES 1. Consider designing your addition so that its mass and scale are compatible with the historic residence and others in the neighborhood. 2. Design an addition so that it is visually subordinate to the historic dwelling, preferably toward the rear of the dwelling. 3. For additions, use exterior materials that resemble those of the original residence in appearance, texture, and dimension. 4. If enclosing a historic porch, consider using glass windows, rather than a solid exterior. 5. Preserve historic additions.

The historic, gabled garage addition built onto the rear of this residence has the same gabled roof form, the same log facing materials, and is visually subordinate to the original dwelling.

- 50 - Historic Residential Neighborhoods

Preserving Historic Residences The original materials and architectural elements of a historic dwelling contribute to its historic character. To maintain the appearance of an historic residence, it is important to preserve these.

Roof Forms, Materials, and Features Historic roofs were typically hipped or gabled. Historic roof materials included corrugated metal, rolled asphalt, wood shingles, or asphalt shingles. Today, wood shingles are prohibited in Nederland because of their flammability. If replacing wood shingles on a historic residence, consider how the new roofing material affects the building's appearance.

STANDARDS 1. The following roofing materials shall be permitted and no others: earth-toned metal, acid-washed copper, asphalt or fiberglass composite shingles, flat unglazed tile, slate, and membrane. Although wood shingles were used historically in Nederland, wood shingles are not allowed as a roofing material because of their flammability. 2. Eaves overhangs shall be at least one (1) foot from the exterior wall 3. Any remodeling or additions must maintain the original roof lines.

GUIDELINES 1. Preserve original roof forms. 2. Preserve historic roof materials, if possible. 3. If replacing wood shingles on a historic residence, consider how the new roofing material affects the building's appearance.

Preserve original roof forms.

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Exterior Materials Exterior materials usually were native wood  products from local saw mills and lumber yards, such as log, log slab (mill waste), shiplap siding, unpainted wood siding, and, beginning in the 1930s, half-log facing. Field stone was used in exterior chimneys and in foundations. Riverstone also was occasionally used. Other historic exterior materials included wood shingles and stamped metal. Rolled asphalt and asbestos shingles were used in the mid-1900s. In Nederland and throughout the state and country from the 1950s on, lapped siding of aluminum, vinyl, and other synthetic materials was used. These materials degrade the architectural integrity of a historic building.

GUIDELINES 1. Preserve rather than replace historic exterior materials. 2. If your house has been covered in wide modern siding, consider removing it to reveal the original material beneath. 3. For additions, use materials that are similar to those of the original building in appearance, texture, and dimension.

Windows and Doors Typically, windows in historic Nederland neighborhoods were multi-paned casement windows (which open outward), wood-framed multi-paned slider windows, or small four-pane windows. Double hung windows were not common. Beginning in the 1940s, large fixed windows, called picture windows, were favored by American homeowners and Nederland residents. Front doors were usually in the street-facing façade.

GUIDELINES 1. Preserve the location and size of historic windows and doorways. 2. Preserve rather than replace historic windows. 3. If installing a new window, use a woodframe multi-pane window. 4. If installing a new single-pane window, place it toward the rear of the house. 5. If it is necessary to replace a historic window, match the historic window as closely as possible, in size, frame, operation, and trim.

Historic windows were typically small and multi-paned, like these.

- 52 - Historic Residential Neighborhoods

Porches, Stoop Covers, and Vestibules Several historic Nederland dwellings had porches. These were typically small and sometimes enclosed in screen or glass. Several porches incorporate rustic wood poles and posts as supports, brackets, and banisters. Turned porch posts and Victorian-era decorative features were not typical on Nederland porches. Some dwellings simply had a gabled stoop cover. Several of these employ a tri-spoke motif, in keeping with the rustic design influence in the 1920s -–1940s. Vestibules were added usually when a summer dwelling was converted for year-round use. These are often on the front entrance, and are small and gable-roofed.

GUIDELINES 1. Preserve historic porches, stoop covers, and vestibules. 2. If enclosing a historic porch use glass rather than solid material. 3. Use simple architectural detail on porches, such as rustic railings, turned porch posts or decorative brackets.

Chimneys and Foundations Stone chimneys are a common feature. These were built of native fieldstone and, occasionally, riverstone. They were often located on the exterior wall of the residence, which facilitated fireplace heating while maximizing interior space. Native stone was also used for foundations.

GUIDELINES 1. Preserve historic chimneys and foundations. 2. Leave historic stone foundations uncovered.

- 53 - Historic Residential Neighborhoods

Decorative Features Decorative features in Nederland residences were minimal. These items were also functional as well as aesthetic. Examples include whittled log ends, rustic-style porches, triangular knee-braces, window shutters with cut-out designs, gabled stoop covers with a tri-spoke motif used, and family name plates that identified summer cottages and cabins.

GUIDELINE 1. Preserve historic decorative features.

Preserve historic decorative elements.

- 54 - Historic Residential Neighborhoods

Landscaping Traditional Nederland landscaping features include natural materials such as trees, boulders, stones, poles, and wildflowers that reflected the surrounding environment. Yards are enclosed by rustic pole fences, boulder fences, wood gates, and fences of patterned wood pickets or log slabs. Yards are accentuated by native aspens and evergreens, wildflower gardens, garden benches, stone-edged paths, and outdoor fireplaces. Many houses are surrounded by clusters of native aspen, pine, or fir, especially in the Beach’s and Pine Grove Additions.

STANDARDS 1. All fences must be constructed of plant materials, wood, wrought iron, brick, or stone. Chain link fences may also be allowed. If using a chain link fence, limit it to the back yard. 2. If building a fence taller than six feet, acquire a permit.

GUIDELINES 1. Preserve the traditional landscaping features. 2. If installing a fence, consider a wood fence or post and wire fencing. 3. Consider planting native vegetation, such as aspens, evergreens, and wildflower gardens. 4. Consider using the natural landscaping features traditionally used in Nederland.

Preserve historic landscaping details.

A curved, stone edged path (below right) and log slab fence (below left) are examples of traditional Nederland landscaping.

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Appendix

Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation The Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, available from the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation at the Colorado Historical Society, provide criteria for properly renovating historically significant buildings. These Standards influenced development of the Nederland Standards and Guidelines. They are required on any State Historical Fund projects and federal and state tax credit projects. 1. A property shall be used for its historic purpose or be placed in a new use that requires minimal change to the defining characteristics of the building and its site and environment. 2. The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spatial relationships that characterize a property shall be avoided. 3. Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or elements from other historic properties, shall not be undertaken. 4. Most properties change over time; those changes that have acquired historic significance in their own right shall be retained and preserved. 5. Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a historic property shall be preserved. 6. Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities, and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated by documentary, physical, or pictorial evidence. 7. Chemical or physical treatments, such as sandblasting, that cause damage to historic materials, shall not be used. The surface cleaning of structures, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest means possible. 8. Archaeological resources shall be protected and preserved in place. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be undertaken. 9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment. 10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.

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Treatment Approaches The National Park Service, which maintains the National Register of Historic Places, advocates four different approaches to historic preservation. These have been taken from the N.P.S. website, the address of which is listed in the Resources section. Preservation The act or process of applying measures necessary to sustain the existing form, integrity, and materials of an historic property. Focuses on the maintenance and repair of existing historic materials and retention of a property's form as it has evolved over time. Rehabilitation The act or process of making possible a compatible use for a property through repair, alterations, and additions while preserving those portions or features which convey its historical, cultural, or architectural values. Rehabilitation acknowledges the need to alter or add to a historic property to meet continuing or changing uses while retaining the property's historic character. Reconstruction The act or process of accurately depicting the form, features, and character of a property as it appeared at a particular period of time by means of the removal of features from other periods in its history and reconstruction of missing features from the restoration period. Re-creates vanished or non-surviving portions of a property for interpretive purposes. Restoration The act or process of depicting, by means of new construction, the form, features, and detailing of a non-surviving site, landscape, building, structure, or object for the purpose of replicating its appearance at a specific period of time and in its historic location. Depicts a property at a particular period of time in its history, while removing evidence of other periods.

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Preservation Resources There are several informational resources available to help you preserve your historic house or building.

Organizations There are local, state, and federal organizations that can assist you with information about preserving your historic house or building.

Nederland Planning Commission A seven-member commission with a non-voting Town of Nederland member from the Town Board, appointed by the Town 45 West First Street Board. Reviews and approves applications for (303) 258-3266 construction, etc. Applies local zoning ordinances. Mailing address: Meets bi-monthly at the Community Center. P. O. Box 396 Nederland, CO 80466

Nederland Historical Society Non-profit society that operates the Gillaspie House Bridge and Fourth Street Museum, is developing the Nederland Mining Mailing address: Museum, and maintains archives in the Community P. O. Box 1597 Center. Nederland, CO 80466

Boulder County Historic Preservation Volunteer board appointed by county commissioners to Advisory Board advise the commissioners on historic preservation issues such as landmarking and design review.

Contact through Boulder County Land Use, identified below.

Boulder County Land Use County Planning Department, which oversees zoning, 2045 Thirteenth Street subdivision applications, building permits, conducts Mailing address: long range and short range planning in unincorporated P. O. Box 471 Boulder County. Provides staff support to the Boulder Boulder, CO 80306 County Historic Preservation Advisory Board. Contact: (303) 441-3930 www.co.boulder.co.us/lu

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Boulder County Open Space Oversees county-owned open space. Monitors 2045 Thirteenth Street preservation of historic properties on Boulder County Mailing address: Open Space. Oversees cultural resource surveys, P. O. Box 471 landmark designation, and other preservation activities Boulder, CO 80306 in rural Boulder County.

(same as Boulder County Land Use) As a Certified Local Government, Boulder County has entered into an inter-governmental agreement with Nederland to provide local landmark designation and to provide design review for landmarked properties within the town. Through this agreement, the Gillaspie House and Stone Garage have been designated as local landmarks. Contact: (303) 441-3950

Colorado State Historical Society Administers Certified Local Government Program. Office of Archeology and Historic Referral agency for all proposed activities involving Preservation state historic preservation concerns. Reviews and 1300 Broadway processes applications for State and National Register Denver, Colorado 80203-2137 Listing. Administers Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for (303) 866-3392 rehabilitation projects on designated structures. www.coloradohistory.org Provides technical assistance and advice. Maintains a database of historic and archaeological sites surveyed throughout the state.

Colorado Preservation, Inc. Statewide non-profit preservation organization. Serves 900 Sixteenth St., Suite 1100 as preservation network for local governments, non- Denver, CO 80202 profit organizations, and preservation professionals. (303) 893-4260 Provides advice and assistance on preservation matters. www.cpionline.org Conducts Certified Local Government training.

Publishes quarterly newsletter. Provides information and assistance regarding National Park Service preserving and designating historic properties and www2.cr.nps.gov districts.

National Trust for Historic Provides technical assistance and publications on Preservation historic preservation. Provides membership to a Mountains and Plains Regional Office national preservation group. Publishes the Historic 900 Sixteenth St., Suite 1100 Preservation magazine. Denver, CO 80202 (303) 623-1504

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Books and other publications Planning, Architecture, and Historic Preservation Boulder County Historic Sites Survey - Eldora. Boulder: Carl McWilliams, 1998. Dyni, Anne. Niwot Rural Community District – Development Plan and Design Guidelines Handkbook. Niwot: Town of Niwot, 1995. Jordan, Terry G., Jon T. Kilpinen, and Charles F. Gritzner. The Mountain West – Interpreting the Folk Landscape. John Hopkins, 1998. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form - Eldora. Prepared by Debbie Abele. 1987. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form – Metal Mining and Tourist Era Resources of Boulder County. Prepared by Debbie Abele. 1989. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, Gillaspie House. Prepared by Marti Anderson, 1998. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, Gold Miner Hotel. Prepared by Silvia Pettem, 1997. Nederland Municipal Code. Nederland: Town of Nederland, 1997. Pearce, Sarah J. A Guide to Colorado Architecture. Denver: Colorado Historical Society, 1983. (Out of print but available on Colorado Historical Society website www.coloradohistory.org) Smith, Mary Ann. Gustav Stickley, The Craftsman. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, 1992. (First edition, Syracuse, NY, Syracuse University Press, 1983.) Stickley, Gustav, editor. Craftsman Bungalows, 59 Homes from “The Craftsman.” Mineola, NY: Dover Publications. 1988. Wilson, Mary. Log Cabin Studies. Ogden, Utah: National Park Service, 1984. Waugh, Rebecca. Gold Hill National Register Historic District Preservation Charette. Boulder: Boulder County Historical Commission, 1998.

Local History Abbott, Carl, Stephen J. Leonard, and David McComb. Colorado – A History of the Centennial State, Revised Edition. Niwot: Colorado Associated University Press, 1982. Becker, Isabel M. Nederland – A Trip to Cloudland. Denver: Scott Becker Press, 1989. Bixby, A. et al. History of Clear Creek and Boulder Valleys, Colorado. Chicago: O. L. Baskins, 1880. Brown, Robert L. Ghost Towns of the Colorado Rockies. Caldwell, Idaho: The Caxton Printers, Ltd. 1971.

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Buchanan, John W. and Doris G. The Story of Ghost Town Caribou. Boulder; Boulder Publishing, Inc. 1957. Colorado Atlas & Gazetteer: Topo Maps of the Entire State. Freeport, Maine: DeLorme Mapping, 1991. Cobb, Harrison S. Prospecting Our Past – Gold, Silver and Tungsten Mills of Boulder County, second edition. Longmont, Colo.: The Book Lode, 1999. First edition 1988. Colorado Business Directories. Crossen, Forest. Switzerland Trail of America. Boulder: Pruett Press, 1962. Dyni, Anne. Back to the Basics, the Frontier Schools of Boulder County, Colorado 1860 – 1890. Longmont: Book Lode, 1999. Fritz, Percy Stanley. The Mining Districts of Boulder County. Unpublished doctoral thesis, 1927. Kemp, Donald C. Silver, Gold, and Black Iron – the Grand Island Mining District. Denver: Sage Books, 1960. Kemp, Donald C. and John R. Langley. Happy Valley, A Promoter’s Paradise, Being an Historic Sketch of Eldora, Colorado and its Environs. Denver: Smith-Brooks Printing, co. 1945. Meyring, Geneva. Nederland, Then and Now. Nederland: Geneva Meyring, 1941. Mountain Directory and Colorado Gazeteer. 1871. Mining in Boulder County, Colorado. Boulder: Boulder County Metal Mining Association, 1915. Pettem, Silvia. Inn and Around Nederland. Longmont, Colo.: The Book Lode, 1998. Pettem, Silvia. Excursions from Peak to Peak. Longmont, Colo.: The Book Lode, 1997. Smith, Duane. A Silver Saga, The Story of Caribou, Colorado. Boulder: Pruett Publishing Co., 1974. Wolle, Muriel Sibell. Stampede to Timberline. Boulder: Muriel S. Wolle, 1954 (First edition 1949).

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Glossary asbestos shingles Large, square, textured shingles or tiles made of asbestos, applied to residences as an exterior material during the mid-1900s. Sometimes have a wavy pattern on the lower edge. bark-edged siding Wide, rough-sawn, lapped wood siding with bark left on the lower edge. board and batten siding Vertical plank siding with joints covered by narrow wood strips. cabin Small dwelling. chinking Substance used to fill spaces between logs. classic column A column with pronounced capital (top) and a base (bottom). clapboards Narrow, horizontal wood siding with each piece overlapping the lower. clipped gable A gable roof inclined at the top toward the ridgeline, forming a small triangle of roof surface. Also called jerkinhead roof. corbel, corbelling Stepped arrangements of stones or bricks, with each course projecting beyond the one below. Seen at rooflines of flat-roofed buildings, especially commercial buildings. cornice The projection at the top of a wall. The top course or molding of a wall when it serves as a crowning member. dormer A projecting structure piercing a roof slope. Often gable- or shed- roofed. dormer window A window placed in a dormer. façade The front of a building, especially an imposing or decorative one. A side of a building that faces a street or other open space. false front The front wall of a front-gabled woodframe building which extends above the roof gable to create a more imposing façade. field stone Flat, irregular-shaped stones found locally in fields. Used locally in foundations and chimneys. Foursquare Two story, square house with hipped roof. front gabled Dwelling with gable end facing the street. gable Roof with two sloping sides that meet at the top, forming a triangular shape. gable end End of roof under gable, sometimes finished in fishscale shingling or log slabs. gambrel roof A ridged roof with two slopes on each side, the slower slope having a steeper pitch. gabled L L-shaped floor plan with a gable at each outside end. half log Logs with bark removed and cut in half, applied as exterior siding. Popular from the 1930s on. Also called “log facing.” hardboard Thin, modern siding put on in large panels, with narrow vertical seams.

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hewn log Hand hewn with a broad axes. Has square surface rather than rounded. hipped-roof box One-story dwelling with pyramid-shaped roof. Sometimes peak of pyramid is flattened or “truncated. hipped roof Pyramid shape, generally seen on hipped-roof box or Foursquare house type. Roof variations are pyramid or truncated hip. kickplate Wood panel found on lower exterior of commercial storefront, below windows. lap siding Siding composed of overlapping, horizontal strips, which may be wood, vinyl, aluminum, or other material. lintel The upper horizontal terminate of doors and windows, which provides structural support above these openings.. lite Term for window pane, used to describe number and placement of panes in a window, such as 2/2 or 6/1 lites. log Tree member used as construction materials, usually stacked horizontally in a rectangular plan with window and door openings cut through logs. The portion or length of the trunk or of a large limb of a felled tree. Length of tree dictates width or depth of house. Space between logs is filled with chinking. log facing Logs with bark removed and cut in half, applied as exterior siding. Popular from the 1930s on. Also called “half log.” log slab Thin, exterior section of log used as exterior siding. Used both with bark remaining or bark removed. Also called “mill waste.” millwaste Slabs which were cut from the exterior of logs during milling; used as exterior siding applied to woodframe buildings. near brick Brick-patterned rolled asphalt applied as exterior siding, often beige in color. Also called “poor man’s brick.” notching Joining of timbers, usually meeting or crossing at right angles by cutting a notch in one or both pieces.

parapet Low wall used at edge of roof, often used at the front of one-story commercial buildings. pole Slender wood with bark removed. Used in some local fences and porches.

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preservation The act or process of applying measures necessary to sustain the existing form, integrity, and materials of an historic property. Focuses on the maintenance and repair of existing historic materials and retention of a property's form as it has evolved over time. purlins One of several horizontal timbers supporting the rafters of a roof. reconstruction The act or process of accurately depicting the form, features, and character of a property as it appeared at a particular period of time by means of the removal of features from other periods in its history and reconstruction of missing features from the restoration period. Re-creates vanished or non-surviving portions of a property for interpretive purposes. rehabilitation The act or process of making possible a compatible use for a property through repair, alterations, and additions while preserving those portions or features which convey its historical, cultural, or architectural values. restoration The act or process of depicting, by means of new construction, the form, features, and detailing of a non-surviving site, landscape, building, structure, or object for the purpose of replicating its appearance at a specific period of time and in its historic location. Depicts a property at a particular period of time in its history, while removing evidence of other periods. Rustic Style Design influence employing indigenous building materials, such as log, wood shingles, and field stone and reflecting the natural setting. Popularized by the Arts and Crafts movement and also promoted by the use of this design by the National Park Service in the 1920s and 1930s. “scrape off” Demolition of a small dwelling to be replaced by larger new dwelling. shingle Thin pieces of wood, slat, metal, or asbestos laid in overlapping rows to cover the roofs and walls of buildings. Notable when wood shingling appears in the gable end of a house or on the exterior walls. Shapes of shingles include square and fishscale (rounded). side gabled Gabled house placed with gabled ends perpendicular to the street. shiplap siding Narrow, horizontal wood siding with interlocking groove. Also called drop siding. three-spoke motif Gable-end treatment seen in residential stoop covers, feature three radiating wood spokes. transom window Window panel above large storefront windows in commercial buildings. Allowed natural sunlight to shine deep into the narrow, long space. triangular knee brace An L-shaped supporting piece with angled support projecting from a wall to support a roof eave, stoop cover, or other element. This feature is a common feature of Arts and Crafts design. truncated hip Hipped roof that terminates in a flat plane, rather than a point. turned porch posts Rounded, shaped posts made by turning on a lathe.

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vernacular Building employing simple design, often constructed by local craftsman or home owner. Typically employs native building materials. Can be categorized by building material: woodframe or masonry. Housing sub-types based on plot plan: front-gabled, side- gabled, gabled-L, cross-gabled, hipped box. vertical log Logs are placed vertically, as opposed to the typical horizontal orientation, with chinking between. vestibule Enclosed entrance at front entrance of house, in Nederland usually gable roofed.

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