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Niwot Colorado Town site - Not a Ghost town

Photos courtesy of Mike Sinnwell August 2005

According to legend the town got it's name from an Arapahoe Indian chief named Chief Niwot. Apparently in the Arapahoe language Niwot means "left hand". Some historians tell the story about a young Indian boy who at meal time would reach out with his left hand to grab the buffalo meat. One time when he had just stuffed his mouth one of the elders called him Niwot and the name stuck. If you ever visit here you will see all types of signs declaring "left Hand Blah- Blah"

The purple door is supposed to be from a brothel in Leadville. Do we have historic buildings. Yeah this is a sampling.

Niwot is not a ghost town. When I moved here in the early 1980's the population was around 300. Today it is about 1800. Small town atmosphere and yet close to everything.

A reader writes - Hey-ya, great site. I'm a fellow Niwot res. too. I have a friend coming out in July who loves history and has never seen the mountains. We're camping around the Rky. Mtn Ntl. Park area (east and west slope). You know of any old abandoned towns 'round there I could show her? I have 4x4 capability - figure I could introduce here to off-roading while delving into the history of Colorado. Thanks, Eric

A viewer writes - July 2009 -  My grandfather and my mother were born in Niwot.  I lived for a short time in Russell Gulch.  I lived in Uravan for ten years, but I don't see Uravan in your list.  Why not?

Rocky says " So many towns, so little time,"