Monica LaSalle, Ward. The stretch of highway along mile marker 44.5 just north of Ward has seen its share of emergencies. From lost hikers to flat tires to car accidents, they all have one thing in common along this stretch…they all seek help from The Millsite Inn.
Due to its remote proximity, there isn’t much in the way of service and the inn has been a saving grace with its landline phone, delicious comfort food and helpful patrons and staff when people find themselves in need of help. The establishment has been a staple for the community of Ward as well as for Nederland, Estes Park, Lyons and beyond. Drivers of the Peak to Peak Highway view it as a beacon of hope on stormy nights, locals come together for celebrations or the company of friends and neighbors, and emergency responders find comfort and strength to perform their difficult duties due to the generosity of the Byers’ family restaurant. Generations of locals that have grown up in and around the area have been a big presence throughout the years.
Longtime employee Nadine May has seen children that used to play on the porch while waiting to eat dinner with their families now come back in with their own children to share in the charm and history of the restaurant. “It’s not just tourists stopping in that has kept us going; the locals here are friends as well as restaurant patrons, and we are grateful for all the years of love and support. It’s just a great neighborhood of people with so much talent,” says Carol Byers.
She regrets having to close their doors after so many years of friendship and service to the area, but the loss of husband and brother Scott in February has made it too difficult for Carol and Kirk to continue. “It had become really hard with the three of us running the business, now it has become next to impossible with just the two of us”.
When asked what they intend to do once the doors are closed, Carol says they will be focusing on their respective artistry and shows me one of several of her drawings she has framed on the walls of the bar as well as several fine pieces of jewelry she has crafted for sale not just in the Millsite but other locations along the Front Range.
Kirk has several fine watercolors hanging on the walls as well and will be looking to show more of his work in Nederland and putting more time and energy into creating new pieces.
Judy and Roland Lewis sit down in a booth to take a break from leaf peeping. A longtime resident of Broomfield, Roland has been coming up to the area annually to view the aspens for years and always makes a point of stopping in for a beer and a bite as part of the journey. This year, he brought his new wife, Judy for her first visit. Unfortunately, it will also be her last visit to The Millsite Inn. It is with great sorrow that Carol and Kirk announced that they would be closing its doors for good on Saturday, September 30, 2018.
(Originally published in the September 20, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)
