Barbara Lawlor, Nederland. The leaning headframe in front of the Magnuson Hotel may have been picturesque in an Old West ghost-town sort of way, but it was nearing the falling-over stage of its lean. The old timbers would not have survived the fall and a piece of Nederland’s mining history would have been hauled away, leaving only the ghost.

Michael Czeponis and his four children live near the shopping center and see the frame,  which was used to lift ore buckets out of the mine shaft, on a daily basis, and being the kind of people they are, thought something should be done about the leaning head frame of Nederland.

“We are always looking for a way to be part of the community. Seeing that piece of mining equipment, I got interested in local history and posted a picture of it on Nedheads, asking the community for information and help in restoring it,” says Czeponis.

Local mining historian and expert on mining equipment Dan Martin jumped on the chance to help reconstruct the old frame that is visible to anyone entering the shopping center. Martin had all the parts and pieces necessary to authentically restore and reinforce the historic structure that had been donated by miner Binx Rugg of Eldora decades ago.

As Michael and his children worked on picking up trash during town cleanup on Saturday, he decided to continue practicing what he talked about and made arrangements with Danny to work on the frame structure on Sunday. With Martin’s loader pulling the frame back to vertical, Czeponis used the original lag bolts to hold it in place. The children handed their father tools as needed as he worked at the top.

“I think it will last another 100 years,” says Czeponis. “It is an iconic centerpiece to town. I like to see people out with gloves and tools, doing their part for the town.”