March 24, 2014

Grandpa's Gift Shop.





In Nederland, Colorado (on March 17, 2014). Why is something so high up in the mountains called the low land?
In 1873 the Caribou Mine, at an elevation of roughly 10,000 feet (3,000 m) and 6 miles (10 km) northwest of the town, was sold to the Nederland Mining Company from the Netherlands.... In the Dutch language, Nederland ("Netherlands" in English) means low land, and based on casual usage by the Dutch miners, Middle Boulder came to be known as Nederland.

14 comments:

gadfly said...

The Netherlands, home of the Dutch, is indeed comprised of low land.

Steve said...

Those who know the unique town think that "high"lands is a more appropriate name.

Rockport Conservative said...

I need a Colorado fix. It's been over 5 years since we have been there. I need to see those tall mountains, those snow melt creeks, the mountain flowers, trees and the deep blue sky. Thanks for the photos.

Tyrone Slothrop said...

My grandpa looks just like that. He died in 1937.

Bruce Hayden said...

Fond memories - drove by there every summer taking my kid to camp by Estes Park. My first memory of Nederland was maybe 50 years ago, when we did a Boy Scout winter camping trip to the area. We camped in some old abandoned buildings that were close to falling down. Looking back, that probably wasn't that safe.

Still, if you are ever driving from the Denver area to Estes Park, and the Rocky Mtn. National Park, this is right in the middle of the scenic route. Used to be that you would go up US 6 to the turnoff for Blackhawk and Central City and highway 119, but now there is a nice road from I-70 to Central City, and then wind down through the casinos to 119, follow it up Nederland (maybe 1/4 mile north from Ann's 1st picture), where you turn left onto highway 72, another left onto highway 7, into Estes Park. Make sure though that you don't accidentally end up heading to boulder on 119 at the traffic circle (???) in Nederland - if you hit Barker reservoir almost immediate, you made the wrong turn. It is one of the nicest trips close to Denver and Boulder. Unfortunately, it takes an extra hour or so, so usually return the other way, US 36 from Estes into Boulder.

Those who know the unique town think that "high"lands is a more appropriate name.

Oh, yeh. Hippies who went up into those mountains 40 years ago, and have been there ever since. And, some more recently. Makes the street people in Boulder seem almost corporate.

Bruce Hayden said...

I need a Colorado fix. It's been over 5 years since we have been there. I need to see those tall mountains, those snow melt creeks, the mountain flowers, trees and the deep blue sky. Thanks for the photos.

Not to gloat, but sitting right now at 9,000 ft, and looking out the window, can see the start of the Ten Mile range to the west, rising another 3,500 ft. Blue sky, of course, though we did have snow two days ago.

chuck said...

I recall driving back and forth from Nederland to Boulder back in the day. There were some crazy fast drivers on that road. What I also recall is that back in the 60's Nederland passed a law that men had to wear underwear. They didn't want no d*mn hippies ;)

LarryK said...

Grandpa looks like a smurf caught inside an Edvard Munch painting

Unknown said...

Neditate.

paul a'barge said...

Remember the Rick Roll?

Mark Nielsen said...

Great music folklore around Nederland. The late Dan Fogelberg's art-rock "Netherlands" album was inspired by the surrounding mountains. Stephen Stills had a home there. And, supposedly (haven't verified this), the iconic cover of Supertramp's "Even In the Quietest Moments" is a view from Stills' place.

Blue@9 said...

Heh, I love Nederland. Have some fond memories of drunk bar nights where the band and staff were all tripping on acid. Nederland--the town that makes Boulder look stiff and conventional. What about the cryogenics dude?

sostanders said...

Ann & Meade just missed Frozen Dead Guy Days 2014 in Nederland.

rhhardin said...

Grandfather's Clock by Henry Clay Work.

Unaccountably this song is very popular in Japan.