Niwot Historical Society lecture series goes virtual

The ability to travel during COVID-19 may feel sidelined, but time travel is still possible thanks to the Niwot Historical Society's lecture series. Unfortunately, the annual NHS lecture series can't take place in person at the Left Hand Grange, so the organization has come up with another venue in which to immerse the public in local history. The first of three speakers will take to the internet in September with a lecture titled, "The Switzerland Trail, a Boulder County Railroad," presented by railroad expert Larry Dorsey.

Dorsey, a retired Boulder Valley School District high school history teacher, Chairman of the Superior Historical Commission, and a trustee for the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, has packed the Grange several times with his lectures about the history of Colorado railroads.

His upcoming Switzerland Trail story combines Colorado railroad, mining, political, and economic lore. Using maps and photos, Dorsey will give a visual account of the now abandoned narrow gauge railroad line that chugged up through nearby canyons from 1883 until 1920.

Dorsey said, "I like to use a lot of maps in my presentations, so I'll show maps of Boulder in the 1880's and 90's. I've been able to get some brilliant images from Carnegie Library and the Colorado Railroad Museum."

Distinguished by its three-foot rail span versus the more common standard gauge (4'8.5" across), narrow gauge railroad cars were able to maneuver more easily up steep canyons.

"Of course the narrow gauge couldn't haul as much tonnage," Dorsey said, "but it was still better than a horse and wagon."

Started by the Greeley-Salt Lake and Pacific Railroad Company, the line was a subsidiary of Union Pacific Railroad, under the control of the Robber Baron, Jay Gould, until a flood bankrupted the line. In its second phase, Colorado and Northwestern took over and gave it the new moniker of the Switzerland Trail, a highfalutin' and exotic name intended to draw passengers onboard for jaunts to the mountains while the rest of the train carried equipment and ore to and from various mills.

Initially the line ran west out of Boulder up Four Mile Canyon. Then the Sunset branch was added taking the line up to Ward as well as a spur up to Eldora. Connections were made with standard railroad lines allowing travel to and from Denver.

Dorsey's presentation explores the advent of the train line, its glory days with passengers, and what brought about the literal end of the line. He will also talk about one of the remaining parts of the Switzerland Trail railroad equipment and the nearby place it now calls home.

These days, if you've hiked not too far into the mountains, you've been on parts of the line's route and can even walk to some of the ore mills that were the fundamental reason for the existence of the Switzerland Trail.

"I think one or two best places to catch the trail are up between Gold Hill and Ward and then the other one goes through Boulder County Open Space in the Caribou Ranch," Dorsey said.

Tremendous vistas from the high altitude route and stops near and in once thriving towns and mining camps made the Switzerland Trail a sensation during its boom time, and now a fascinating tale of bygone times.

Because of the need for safe practices during the pandemic, Boulder County public health orders only allow seven people to be in the Left Hand Grange at one time, which would be a pretty sad attendance for any speaker. So no one is allowed to attend in person, but the show will go on in a new far-reaching venue.

Kathy Koehler, NHS President said, "We have decided to video tape each of the three fall lectures and when they are finished, we will release the link to members and post the link on our website for anyone to access the presentation."

Thanks to Leonard Sitongia, who has taken the lead on communications with the volunteer videographers, and NHS member Patrick Bohan, the new format will allow the public to continue to enjoy the tradition of Niwot Historical Society lectures which began in 2011.

The two other videotaped lectures to watch for this fall are "The History of Women's Suffrage in Colorado," presented by Megan Moriarity in October, and in November, Bob Crifasi's lecture "From Desert to Oasis, A Land Made from Water" will explain how the development of Colorado's water resources have impacted the Front Range and Left Hand Valley.

Visit http://www.niwothistoricalsociety.org for additional information.