NEDERLAND - A place like Nederland doesn’t become as special as it is without a storied and inspiring history. And doesn’t continue to be as revered unless someone preserves that history. Luckily, this town’s own rough, gritty, and often quirky past is collected, recorded, and shared for the benefit of the community by the hardworking volunteers with the Nederland Area Historical Society (NAHS). 

On Saturday, May 10, 2025, the community was invited to HubNed to take part in NAHS’s Silent Auction Fundraiser, where they could bid on over $7,000 worth of auction items while enjoying a delicious charcuterie spread and a glass of wine courtesy of The Gold Hill Inn.

While sipping on the signature cocktail for the event—a cucumber-lemonade mix ignited by a splash of basil-infused vodka and called a Caribou Cooler—guests wandered among many tables full of exciting prizes for the auction. 

There was homemade ceramic work from local historian Kay Turnbaugh, custom fedoras by designer Eric Javitt, a basket of goodies from local female artisans (named the “Local Bad Ass Boss Lady” bundle), beautiful original paintings from local artists Kathy Bremers and Danielle Crouse, and a felling axe, hand-forged by local historian and blacksmith Emmit Hoyl.

Many local businesses also contributed prizes for the auction, including Gold Dirt Distillery, Eldora, Knotted Root, Tadasana Mountain Yoga, Very Nice Brewing Company, and Tin Shed. 

The event brought the Nederland community together, as the donated auction items inspired conversations about the generous nature of those who contributed, as well as conversations about the very subject at hand: Nederland’s history. 

Murmurs about mining, the very industry that helped build Nederland into what it is today, were heard throughout the “auction hall” created within the open room at HubNed, as the impacts of that industry are still prevalent today. 

Though the little mountain town always faces changes, good and bad, most residents still turn to our history, and to those who are the keepers of that history, as the best way to envision and plan Nederland’s future: to understand and learn from its past. 

In addition to running exciting educational programs at the Nederland Community Library and at the Nederland Mining Museum, NAHS helps to maintain the Bucyrus Model 50-B steam shovel, hosts blacksmithing demonstrations, and also gives tours at the Gillaspie House. 

For more information, go to: https://www.nederlandareahistoricalsociety.org.