Niwot UMC Timeline

1870: Left Hand United Brethren Church is officially chartered by Rev. St. Clair Ross in March of this year. Services are to be held in the School District 7 school house.

1884: Due to issues of “Separation of Church and State”, the school district will no longer allow the church to hold worship services in the school house. However the school district has decided to build a new, larger school house and offers the old building for sale. It is purchased by Henry Hornbaker and donated to United Brethren Church of Niwot.

1891-1892: On a parcel of land donated by A. M. Dodd, west of the railroad tracks and adjacent to the town of Niwot, a new church building is planned. Construction begins in late 1891 and on April 3, 1892, the new building is dedicated in the presence of 200 members and guests. In the years to follow, a four room parsonage is built near the church building.

1912: The church building and the parsonage are moved across the railroad tracks into the town proper. This new location, at 3rd and Franklin Streets, will serve as the site for the church for over 50 years.

1926-1928: With the congregation growing, it is decided to enlarge the church building by razing the existing structure and building a new one in its place. Demolition starts in late 1926 and during the rebuilding process, worship services are held in the Left Hand Grange Hall. On Sunday, July 27, 1927, the first worship service was held in the new, nearly finished, church building. Many months pass before the final touches are complete, and on June 3, 1928, the new church building is dedicated.

1946: On Saturday, November 19, 1946, at Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the United Brethren Church is officially united with the Evangelical Church to form the Evangelical United Brethren Church.

1950: A new electric organ is donated to the church by the Dodd family in memory of the late Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Dodd, Mrs. Hugh Dodd, and Jerome Dodd. The dedication ceremony takes place October 29, 1950.

1951: On November 1, 1951, fire completely destroys the Evangelical United Brethren church building. While the building is a complete loss, the new organ, a piano, the pews, and some chancel furniture are spared. Damaged but not destroyed, these items will be renewed and reused in the new church building. Once again, the Left Hand Grange makes its hall available for worship services while the church is rebuilding.

1952: The groundbreaking ceremony for the new church building is held Sunday, September 21, 1952. Construction starts the very next day. The new building will be located on the same lot, between the ruins of the old building and the parsonage.

1953: The Evangelical United Brethren church once again has a home, as the dedication ceremony for the newly completed building is held March 15, 1953.

1968: The EUB and Methodist churches merge. We are now Niwot United Methodist Church.

1969: The church relocates to the Gunbarrel unincorporated area of Boulder.

1980: The bell tower is dedicated in memory of Wynn Mecham.

1983: A new sanctuary is completed under Pastor David Jaeger’s guidance.

2020: NUMC celebrates its 150th anniversary. We look forward to many more.