NEDERLAND -- In the early evening of Wednesday, July 23, 2025, the Nederland Area Historical Society (NAHS) hosted a board meeting at the Nederland Community Library to discuss its current transitional period.

Board members Jessie Ansari (president), Emmit Hoyl (vice-president), and Melissa Bartlett (secretary) attended, along with community members Rebecca Wickre, Rebecca Young, Susan Kelly, Gertrude Beatty, Jamie Lammers, and Heidi Karweik.

The meeting opened with discussions of current projects, primarily restorations aiming to reconstruct the history of and identify individuals buried in the Nederland and Caribou cemeteries.

They also discussed their work on digitizing their archives and making their physical storage hosted in the Nederland Community Center, dubbed the “closet of knowledge,” accessible to the public.

Along with the events they currently host, such as an annual fundraiser and a silent auction, they discussed hopes in bringing back Miners’ Days celebrations for the community and jumpstarting other events, including walking tours.

The board members and familiar community faces emphasized that NAHS needs new blood to continue keeping Nederland’s history alive. They want as many voices from the community as possible to bring their specific interests and passions into the society’s efforts.

After discussing final transitional steps, the board moved into the primary item on the agenda: electing new board members. All positions were open, with Ansari, Hoyl, and Bartlett completing their current terms and Ansari, Hoyl, and Brian Alers (treasurer) stepping back from the society.

The board elected Kelly as the interim president of the society. Kelly expressed her love for NAHS, emphasizing her hope to be a figurehead for the society. She hopes to lead with the support of the other board and community members, and she wants their efforts to bring the community closer together.

The board elected Wickre as vice-president, Young as secretary, Bartlett as treasurer, and Karweik and Lammers as members-at-large. Beatty, former director of the Nederland Community Library, expressed interest in contributing as a friend of the board.

As the society moves into this transitional period, they emphasize that anyone interested in their efforts can be involved in any capacity that interests them the most. With a small, dedicated team, NAHS will continue their efforts to keep local history alive.

If you’re interested in learning more or have any questions about the society, head to nederlandareahistoricalsociety.org, send an email to nederlandhistory@gmail.com, and/or follow them on Facebook (facebook.com/NederlandHistory) or Instagram (@nederlandhistory).