realtor jon hatch

On the Corner 4th Quarter 2023

On the Corner 4th Quarter 2023

The Mann Sisters were a hit at Chautauqua,

by Silvia Pettem 

When Ethel and Marion Mann were young girls, their mother would invite dancers to dinner, then urged her guests to "teach the girls a few steps."   

The sisters' journey to stardom began in 1926 when Ethel won a dance contest. The prize was a year of dance lessons in New York City. Ethel, her sister, and their mother all moved from Boulder to New York. After Ethel's classes, she taught Marion everything she had learned. 

While in New York, they watched cowboys at rodeos in Madison Square Garden and learned rope tricks from "cowboy philosopher" Will Rogers.

On the Corner, 3rd Quarter 2023

On the Corner, 3rd Quarter 2023

Bluebell Avenue resident had unusual past,

By Silvia Pettem

In last month’s “On the Corner,” I wrote that early real estate developer David Dobbins built four almost-identical brick bungalows, one on each of the southeast corners of Bluebell Avenue and 15th, 16th, 17th, and 19th streets.  

The house at 1604 Bluebell was owned by Miriam Rieder who lived there from the late 1930s to her death in 1957. Rieder was an assistant professor of Romance Languages at the University of Colorado. She also was considered an eccentric, and she had an unusual past.  

At the time, acres of undeveloped property surrounded Rieder’s home. She bought the land and preferred it wild and unkempt with native plants and flowers providing a sanctuary for ground-nesting birds. After one neighbor complained of her “weeds,” she wrote a scathing letter to the editor of the “Daily Camera.”

“What is the matter with people who are so blind that they see beauty, and utility, only in their own little clipped lawn?” Rieder asked. “How can people go to church and sit in pews and worship God, and then devote their weekdays to trying to destroy what He has generously given us to enjoy?”

Rieder regularly patrolled her property and carried a pistol to scare off intruders. Parents of neighborhood children complained that she chased and shot at them. In 1950, the then-61-year old woman pleaded guilty in court to “threatening the lives of young people,” but she claimed she only did it to frighten them off of her land.

  The public was unaware during her lifetime that Rieder was the daughter of former German professor Mary Rippon.  At CU’s recent May Commencement, the highly acclaimed Rippon received a long-overdue posthumous honorary doctoral degree. But in 1889, she had secretly married one of her adult students, and they had a child. That child was Miriam Rieder.

Rippon conveniently took a year’s sabbatical to Germany where Rieder was born in 1889. Then Rippon returned to CU and continued to teach. The little girl was left in orphanages and passed around an extended family of aunts and uncles for the first few years of her life. Rippon (who would have lost her job if her marriage had been known) never lived with her husband. Eventually he remarried and was able to raise their daughter.

When Rieder lived at 16th and Bluebell, she was separated from her husband Rudolph. Their son Wilfred is now deceased, but he spent most of his adult life on the East Coast. Think of Rieder, her birds, and her unusual background, as you drive by her former home.

Cutline: Miriam Rieder’s former home at 1604 Bluebell Avenue was one of four (initially!) almost-identical brick bungalows built by real estate developer David Dobbins.

 

Silvia Pettem is the author of “Separate Lives: The Story of Mary Rippon,” available in local bookstores and at www.thebooklode.com.

Boulder County Buzz, October 2023

Boulder County Buzz, October 2023

Growing up in Maine was crazy awesome sometimes on so many levels! Besides the coast, lakes and streams, the fiddleheads and lady slippers and the mountains in the mist, Maine had and still has the season of all seasons: fall and its epic foliage. Yeah, that meant summer was over and school started up after Labor Day, but I’ll never forget the glory of Maine in the fall with all the colors in the landscape and and textures of the town—once the tourists blasted off back to the flatlands in their Wagoneers and Volvos. Even as a kid, I remember taking it all in, a tingling of all the senses where the cool breeze and short days replaced the summer vibe and where maple leaves wave goodbye.

This fall, Colorado is giving Maine a run for its maple leaf money—oh my, it has been a rainbow record for spectral colors. The warmth of summer slips and I surrender to the cold. And I am ready..
The real estate market is also in a transition. In the summer of 2022, higher interest rates threatened the affordability for many home buyers and the drop in demand has caused a palpable lull in the marketplace. The first half of 2022 brought home buyers ready, willing, and able to compete for almost every home that hit the market. As we look at 3rd quarter numbers in 2023 compared year over year, we see a great stall from 2022 through 2023. In most cases today our home sellers have to be competitive with price, sometimes starting at 5% or 10% less than a year ago and expect to wait on the market a little longer.

The data collected can be quite different from area to area and product to product and some of that is linked to the fact that areas with fewer sales offer more volatility in their resulting data. Regardless of small differences in the data from area to area, know that the market is acting slower across all areas and that buyers seem to have the negotiating power in most case. Like any market, things change from city to city and from neighborhood to neighborhood but the stoke is high for 2024 with predictable lower interest rates and an opening up of activity. But it’s likely to be a long winter. If you’ve been on the sidelines as a buyer or seller maybe it’s time to act, 'cause if you let the moment pass, you should try it once again! It’s never too late to late to buy or sell.

I had a few listings this fall that saw buyers come in hot with strong prices and great terms. One of them in South Boulder had three offers with the winning offer at 8% over asking price. And we even set the high water mark with our price for the neighborhood at the time of listing. It was exciting to go there in this “weird” market. Cross your fingers it closes next week!

This month I’m featuring charitable organization called the WaterWheel Foundation. The WaterWheel Foundation chooses non-profits from a large sphere of needs including social services, primarily those benefiting women and children; environmental, with a focus on clean water and land conservation with public access; as well as food banks, urban gardening and the like. WaterWheel’s Touring Division has donated over $2,500,000 to more than 500 groups. Please give today!

Happy Halloween and don’t let the housing market spook you! and don’t forget to SMILE!

​HATCH

​​Realtor®, RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement®, RE/MAX Hall of Fame®, GRI®, ABR®
RE/MAX of Boulder

303-513-2834
​​​hatch@boulderco.com
​​​http://www.jonhatch.com

​​Lead photo: East Boulder ash tree, by Jon Hatch

Boulder County Buzz, August 2023

Boulder County Buzz, August 2023

Our fledgling wrens and finches have flown their coops and so the back patio at the Red Door Ranch is quiet, save for the late summer cricket+cicada chorale. Mornings arrive damp and cool. The high summer sun sets lower and as such the school year begins and for better or worse, we arrive autumnal.

My business continues to thrive although at a slightly slower pace in July/Aug. It was wonderful to get out and enjoy the Colorado wild in this summer - gosh I love this state! It’s a state of mind actually. I was recently listed in the #10 spot for second quarter agent production by Real Producers Magazine of Boulder County. Thanks to those of you I’ve worked with this year for pushing my biz to the next level — it’s been so fun and rewarding!

In local real estate news, Boulder County experienced a 7.2% loss in inventory compared last year at this time. Median and average sale prices split the field with a 3.4% drop in the median while the average rose 1.9%. The fact that these numbers hover lower affirms the hitch in the giddy-up we experience in the current marketplace.

Average days on market rose 68.5% over last year from 35 to 59 days. Sellers this fall will need some patience with timing and pricing. But we are seeing an uptick in showings and there are still some competitive offer situations for properties that greatly appeal to that available buyer pool.

The percent of homes under contract this year has been averaging 34% and reflects a balance of power between buyers and sellers. General rule of thumb we use is we see appreciating markets above roughly 35% and depreciating markets below 30% under contract. While the market historically cools in July and August we are forecasting a calm yet productive fall season without major disruptions in the force.

I’ve got some fun listings coming soon; from Boulder to Longmont and up to Summit County for one of the most amazing homes and properties around — I can’t wait to share.

Alas, there is a property I do want to share today, and while it is not my listing it is an amazing home at 1055 County Road 200 in Poncha Springs up near Salida and BV. If you have friends or family looking to own a primary or second home in Chaffee County at the base of Monarch Mountain with Poncha Creek frontage and with acres of true Colorado landscape, then this is a property is a must see, and feel. And if trout fishing, mountain biking, rafting, trail running, hot springs and skiing is your jam, than turn the car around and get there now. Contact Jeff Post at First Colorado Land real estate office in Salida at 719-539-6682 or email post@firstcolorado.com. So why am I posting this? This sale is for good friends of mine moving back home to the Boulder area. Thank you for sharing!

This month’s charity for giving is the Chordoma Foundation. Chordoma is a slow growing cancer of tissue found inside the spine. Chordoma can happen anywhere along the spine. It is most often found near the tailbone or where the spine meets the skull. It’s Chordoma Foundation’s plan to bring about treatments that can prevent recurrence, eliminate tumors rather than just slow their growth, and preserve patients’ quality of life. If we all contribute what we can, these new treatments are not only possible, but probable. Please see how important this program is and give today!

Thank you and don’t forget to SMILE!

Jon Hatch

​Realtor®, RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement®, RE/MAX Hall of Fame®, GRI®, ABR®
RE/MAX of Boulder

303-513-2834
​​​hatch@boulderco.com
​​​http://www.jonhatch.com

​Lead photo: August evening storm in the BOCO, photo by Hatch

On the Corner, 2nd Quarter 2023

On the Corner, 2nd Quarter 2023

Chautauqua a win-win for Boulder

by Silvia Pettem

Ever since 1898, Boulder residents and visitors have participated in events at Boulder's Chautauqua, now in its 125th year. But the national, cultural, and educational movement is not unique to Boulder. It grew out of nineteenth-century camp meetings in New York state and provided classes, oratory, music, and entertainment to isolated communities.

In its early days, there were at least 150 of these gatherings all over the country. So, how did Chautauqua, initially a summer resort, find its way to Boulder? A longtime Chautauqua secretary once stated that the Boulder location was chosen after a committee of leading Texas educators "set out like knights of old in the search for the Holy Grail." They thought Boulder was "the loveliest little city in America." Also, its summers were cooler than at home.

Boulder voters quickly approved a bond issue to buy seventy-five acres of land, then leased the land to what at first was called the Texas-Colorado Chautauqua. Contractors then scrambled to build the dining hall and auditorium, as opening day was scheduled for July 4, 1898. Carpenters finished the auditorium's framing on June 22.

Then, with only twelve days to go, 75 men worked around the clock to complete the walls, roof, towers, stage, and benches. A reporter called the construction "the fastest work ever known in Boulder." On opening day, flags waved and bands played.

Many of the guests came by train and stayed all summer. That first year, they slept in tents. In the evenings, a lively pace of orators, entertainers, and musicians performed on stage. These performers "rode the circuit," traveling by train to gatherings in other parts of the country. In the daytime, families were kept busy with burro rides, railroad excursions, and hikes in the mountains.

Boulder's location is unique, but the Chautauqua name is not. The Iroquois word has multiple meanings, including “a bag tied in the middle” or “two moccasins tied together." It describes the shape of Chautauqua Lake, in southwest New York, at the site of the movement's first (and ongoing) location.

In 125 years, the Chautauqua Auditorium has seen an array of speakers, magicians and animal shows, colorful dancers, persuasive actors, and nearly every kind of singer and musician imaginable. Classical music has come back in style, and the films that started the first year have never stopped. The site was a win-win situation for everyone, even the Texans.

Silvia Pettem can be reached at silviapettem.com

Boulder County Buzz, July 2023

Boulder County Buzz, July 2023

I trust you’re knee deep into summer fun by now! The abundance of outdoor recreation, concerts, camping, backyard hang time and fishing trips make for the best time of year here in Colorado. As the biz typically slows in July it’s always nice to use the time to jump in feet first into our Planet Colorado. Our state really knows how to reboot the body and soul. I appreciate that so much as we roll into late summer and fall seasons where my business picks up steam again.

And now, what to think about this current real estate market? Recall it was just last June when we saw the peak of the crazy COVID and post-COVID mayhem. While the market is different now, like less frenetic and somewhat more balanced, it is not suffering—despite what you may have read, this market has a lumpy head. Yes, we are seeing some longer days on market, some price reductions and fewer multiple offer scenarios, but our prices are still up month to month. But indeed they are less impressive than ’21 and '22.

You buyers who were tapping the brakes for better days? Your time is near and your mission’s clear—consider jumping back in as we are approaching what some call the "summer slump" when the number of viewings, offers, and showings are waning. Meanwhile listings are coming into the marketplace at a more frequent clip. So while your competition is on summer vacation, maybe it’s time you step to the line!

This month’s charity for giving is Growing Gardens in Boulder. Over the last 25 years, Growing Gardens has brought regenerative agriculture education and food donations to over 136,000 Boulder County residents. Growing Gardens’ programs empower people of all ages, income levels, and abilities by reconnecting them with their local food systems and teaching gardening, cooking, and nutrition education. Please see how important this program is and give today!

Meanwhile, for another dose of Hatch From the Trail, please tune in here to #52!

​Thank you and don’t forget to SMILE!

Jon Hatch

Realtor®, RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement®, RE/MAX Hall of Fame®, GRI®, ABR®
RE/MAX of Boulder

303-513-2834
​​​hatch@boulderco.com
​​​http://www.jonhatch.com

​Lead photo: sunset in cloud reflection east of Boulder from the Pearl Street Mall in Downtown Boulder by Jon Hatch.

Boulder County Buzz, June 2023

Boulder County Buzz, June 2023

Well, hot dog—summer is here! I hope you’re enjoying it wherever you are. We are for sure; with house and yard improvements, trout chasing, hiking and running and we’re putting our Christmas gifts to good use, SUPing the Boulder Reservoir. We are looking forward to camping at Brainard Lake up in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area in July. And we can’t wait for a festive Independence Day holiday weekend with good friends, good food and live music galore. I hope you all have an awesome weekend!

On the biz front, last week I was recognized by RealTrends, Inc. for my 2022 production. In Colorado and the in the country I achieved the top 1.3% and 1.5%, respectively, in sales volume. RealTrends identifies the country's most successful residential real estate brokerages, teams and agents. They compile and verify transaction sides and closed sales volume for the industry's trusted annual rankings program. And the first half of this year is off to record production for my business. I will soak in some of the July and August lull in by enjoying the ColoRADo wild, but I'm still very busy with buyers and have some sweet listings coming soon. I can’t tell you how amazing it is that YOU all got me here. In my 19th year I feel so blessed to have such a long and successful career and I owe it to you for looking out for me by asking me to help you and your friends and family in touch with me. THANK YOU!

Please scroll down to take a look at our latest housing statistics from our RE/MAX of Boulder Managing Broker Todd Gullette. Here are his insights into the numbers: “All signs point to a stall or pause in our market with no danger signs apparent. Inventory has risen over the last year, but the overall level of inventory is still extremely low, protecting home values to a great degree. Median and average prices countywide shifted from high appreciation over the last two years to a stall, flirting with neutral or low single digit negative appreciation. The sales price to list price ratio shows a drop of around 5%, while average market time or days on market  increased 88% for single-family homes and 37% for attached dwellings. The number of sales for the year so far has dropped once again around 25%."

In addition, you’ll find that we’ve added new charts showing percent of available homes under contract for individual towns and cities. "This statistic is a great way to take a quick temperature of the market," says Gullette. He notes, “Above 35% under contract is still an appreciating market. Last year we saw under contract percentages well above 75% in most areas.”

Well, please reach out to me anytime—I’d love to hear from you!

Happy holiday to you and don’t forget to SMILE,

Jon Hatch

Realtor®, RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement®, RE/MAX Hall of Fame®, GRI®, ABR®
RE/MAX of Boulder

303-513-2834
​​​hatch@boulderco.com
​​​http://www.jonhatch.com

​Lead photo: Classic Colorado Mountain town abode in Creede with dooryard cooktop and clothes washer included by ​Jon Hatch.

On the Corner, 1st Quarter 2023

On the Corner, 1st Quarter 2023

Bryan and Jones were early Chautauqua speakers

by Silvia Pettem

William Jennings Bryan and Samuel P. Jones were an unlikely pair on a speaking tour, but individually and together they roused crowds in Boulder during Chautauqua's early days.

The national educational and cultural resort opened its Boulder venue in 1898. Although audiences enjoyed entertainers, musicians, and films, they were riveted on speakers. Politics, religion, and anti-liquor sentiments dominated the stage.

William Jennings Bryan, a former U.S. Representative from Nebraska, was the most popular speaker in 1899. The Democrat was known as the "silver-tongued orator" and had run for U.S. president but lost against Republican William McKinley. Still, Bryan was well-liked in Boulder County and other mining districts of the West, as he supported the free and unlimited coinage of both gold and silver.

When he stepped off the train in downtown Boulder, he was greeted by thousands of well-wishers. A reporter wrote, “Cheersyells, hand-clapping, waving of hats and handkerchiefs, a roar of sound and a seething sea greeted the ear and the eye simultaneously."

Six additional trains brought crowds from Fort Collins, the mountain towns, and from Denver, temporarily doubling Boulder’s population. Stores closed at noon, and crowds lined Bryan’s carriage route as he was driven uphill to the auditorium on the Chautauqua grounds. Many people walked from the downtown depot, while others rented horse-drawn hacks or squeezed onto Boulder’s new electric streetcars. Colorado women had recently won the right to vote, and they made up a large part of Bryan’s audience.

At the beginning of the program, a band played “Hail to the Chief.” When the renowned speaker was introduced as “the next president,” men, women, and children burst into wild applause.

Another early speaker was Samuel P. Jones, who was an evangelical minister and anti-liquor crusader. He was known for being humorous and theatrical, but his message was a simple one of living a good life that was as sin-free as possible. 

Both Bryan and Jones returned to Boulder in July 1905 for Jones/Bryan Day. By then Bryan had lost his second presidential election, but the people in Boulder still loved him. The audience gave him a standing ovation and deafening applause.

At the time, speeches went on for three or four hours, and the only seats in the auditorium were wooden benches. After listening to Bryan, Boulder Daily Camera editor L.C. Paddock wrote that the benches were "unthinkably hard," but "Bryan is the only man who ever rendered them tolerable to the spine."

Early editions of On the Corner (2006-2015)

Enjoy archived editions of the On the Corner newsletter right here!

On the Corner 4th Quarter/Year End 2022

On the Corner 4th Quarter/Year End 2022

Boulder's first films were shown at Chautauqua, by Silvia Pettem

In 1898, when the Chautauqua cultural and educational movement opened in Boulder, its summer visitors were treated to speakers, entertainers, and musicians in its newly built auditorium. Boulder residents attended, as well. The Chautauqua Association also brought in motion pictures –– the first ever shown in Boulder.

At the time, the public was caught up in the fervor of the Spanish-American War, creating a demand for patriotic newsreels. The first shown at Chautauqua was the Battle of Santiago Bay, leading viewers to believe it was filmed in Cuba. The film, however, featured cardboard models of ships that were partially disguised with cigar smoke.  

On the Corner, 3rd Quarter 2022

On the Corner, 3rd Quarter 2022

Dear neighbors, back in October of 2019 I interviewed neighbor Sabine Schaffner for this newsletter. I learned she wanted to share more about the neighborhood than about herself. But I discovered in my time with her that there was so much about her that I wanted to share with you. Once I was close to completing the piece I wanted her to read it. She did. But then she asked me not to publish it for it was too personal. I was disappointed but I very much respected her privacy. Today, with her family’s permission, I am grateful to be able to share this story with you. It’s mostly the same as it was then but with editing from Beret Strong and career fact-checking from Karen Simmons - thank you both!

Guardian of the Galaxy - Neighbor recounts first spacecraft images of our planets

By Jon Hatch, On The Corner

As she stood in her slippers, in her mid-century home, gazing out through large, west-facing windows to her backyard sanctuary, Sabine (pronounced Sabeena) Schaffner, 87, described to me memories from the 65 years she had lived in Boulder. For 22 of those years, she was tucked into a dead end dirt road below Chautauqua Park in Boulder, Colorado. Just a few minutes into listening to Sabine, I realized there was going be a lot to be shared so I suggested we sit down. She placed us at each end of the couch in the living room that was lightly accented with antique furniture, ancient rugs and vaulted ceilings with stout wood beams. There were tea and nibbles. She turned up her hearing aid and asked me to speak…

On The Corner, 2nd Quarter 2022

On The Corner, 2nd Quarter 2022

Dear OTC readers, I wanted to take a step back in time to share this story which I published in OTC

back in the fall of 2009. A harrowing story of two young men who climbed the Third Flatiron and

painted the letter “C". It is one of my favorite stories in the many years I've been publishing this

newsletter. It was a pleasure to interview Dale Johnson, one of the men, who lived in the

neighborhood with his wife Frandee Johnson. Dale passed away in 2012. He would've been 91

years old today. Back in 2009 the average sales price in Lower Chautauqua was $738,000. The

average price per square foot was $358/sqft and the highest price home sale that year was

$1,050,000. It was time of The Great Recession. I was five years into my real estate career and my

kids were 4 and 6 years old. Today they are 18 and 20 and this market my 18th year in the biz.

Gee, how time flies. Thank you all for reading this all these years and for your personal

compliments along the way. Enjoy the climb up this rock again - it’s a good one!

On the Corner, 1st Quarter 2022

On the Corner, 1st Quarter 2022

A supporter of women’s rights, Cockerell happily tagged

along. Shortly afterward, he was hired at CU as professor

of zoology. In 1887, Cockerell had moved from England

to Colorado, a recommended treatment for tuberculosis.

Later he returned to England and married his longtime

sweetheart, but within a few years she and both of their

children died. Grieving, but realizing that own health was

better in a high, dry climate, he moved to Colorado

permanently in 1893.

On the Corner, 4th Quarter 2021

On the Corner, 4th Quarter 2021

Early Chautauqua visitors were music-lovers

by Silvia Pettem

In 1898, when Chautauqua opened as a summer resort, the auditorium and the dining hall were its only buildings.

Out-of-town attendees lived in tents, and luxuries were few. But those who came and stayed demanded live music.

"Without music," stated an early Chautauqua Bulletin, "Chautauqua could not exist. All lovers of music are invited to the feast, spread daily under the cooling shadows of the rock-ribbed mountains."

The fifteen-piece Kansas City Orchestra (known for livening up the mostly Texas crowds with the song "Dixie") gave

weekly full-length concerts in the Auditorium during the venue's first year. The orchestra also played six weekly outdoor concerts, as well as "sacred" concerts on Sundays.

FROM THE TRAIL #49, Christian "Chris" Benitez

FROM THE TRAIL #49,  Christian "Chris" Benitez

I met Christian "Chris" Benitez on a trail run on the Mesa Trail in Boulder on Sunday. It was sunny but very cold and at the the top of the Chautauqua Road (which I never run - it's too many people) and I saw him leaning there strumming his guitar. It was quite lovely. But it was cold. How were his fingers not frozen in the pine trees shade? I said hello and asked to take a video and he gave me his phone. I shot video with both his and my phone side by side. He began playing Santana's song called Dreams. It was wonderful. After this song he introduced himself. He's an engineer. From Mexico City. He's here in Colorado to learn English and get the best job so he can make the best money and bring it back home when he visits his wife and three kids 13, 17 and 23. Then he played for me and a trail hiker an old traditional song called Ratas about corrupt government ways there and he really played it well. A dog even almost jumped in his lap. Eat your heart out Andy Thorn! He approved the video usage. I have shared the videos with Chris. He hasn't responded. I hope he likes it. He didn't have to say it, but I could tell coming here was his joy. His release. His pleasure. A few hikers stopped to listen. It was quite wonderful. Chris has a gift and I'm glad I got to witness it. Please enjoy! HATCH

FROM THE TRAIL #48, EQUANIMITY!

FROM THE TRAIL #48, EQUANIMITY!

WELCOME TO #48! IT'S JUST A THANK YOU! THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THE WORD FOR 2022 FOR ME IS... EQUANIMITY!

On the Corner, 3rd Quarter 2021

On the Corner, 3rd Quarter 2021

Chautauqua most unusual entertainers came during the venue's early years

by Silvia Pettem

Chautauqua's auditorium has witnessed a variety of entertainers in its long history. Magicians, naturalists, and even animals performed during its earliest years.

"Maro," a magician, performed in 1898, Chautauqua's opening year. Supposedly, he was "an artist of marked ability and as clever with brush and pencil as with cards, coins, handkerchiefs and other common objects."

Baker W. Armstrong, Jr. was a young boy at the time, attending the summer resort with his parents. In 1928, he returned to give his own performance. By then, he spelled his name backwards to create his stage name of "Rekab, the Wizard."

After some magic tricks, his final act was to escape from a tightly locked and roped box, similar to an act of his more well-known predecessor, Harry Houdini. Rekab's assistants handcuffed him, chained him, and put him in the box, from which he kept up a muffled commentary. Then, after one of his assistants drove in the final nail, all was quiet.

On the Corner Vol. 14 Issue 4 1st Half 2021

On the Corner Vol. 14 Issue 4 1st Half 2021

Historical marker honors Los Seis de Boulder

By Carol Taylor

Walking through the east entrance to Chautauqua Auditorium, you might notice a recently installed

tribute to Los Seis de Boulder, six Chicano activists killed in 1974. As the unveiling was during the

pandemic, most people aren’t aware of the new historical marker.

The inscribed rock is unobtrusive, as there are strict regulations on what can be placed at a National Historic Landmark.

The story of Los Seis remains a sensitive topic. On May 27, 1974, a parked car exploded by the

Chautauqua Auditorium. The blast was heard all over Boulder. First responders faced a grisly scene

as body parts were strewn about the area. Eventually, Neva Romero, Una Jaakola, and Reyes Martinez

were identified as victims….

Hatch Sells Lower Chautauqua!

Dear neighbors and friends, this year marks the 15th anniversary of the very first edition of your On the Corner newsletter. I began publishing OtC in the early days of my real estate career as a way to bridge my professional photojournalism career and my real estate career. It’s kept me very engaged in this neighborhood, which has so many stories to tell. This spring also marks my 15th year in the real estate business. It’s awesome to have grown such a successful business. I’ve worked really hard to make it this far and I definitely recognize that a lot of my business comes from right here in the neighborhood. On the opposite of this big card you’ll see homes that I sold here in 2021. Each of them are so different and they all have such interesting histories. Like many homes here, they also have been through different transformation over the years. The homes built in the LC have just as interesting stories to tell as the residents that call Lower Chautauqua home. “If these walls could talk,” right? Such rich history here, and that’s why I appreciate it so much. And I appreciate you. You’ve entrusted me to market and sell your homes and you’ve trusted me to help you buy the house here that you now call home. The many homes I’ve sold here dot the neighborhood from Bellevue Heights to Interurban Park and from the Cul-de-sacs off King Avenue to Baseline Road. Many of you have referred business to me over the years and for that I am grateful and truly appreciate your business and your referrals! I’d like to continue to earn your trust. Please contact me anytime to discuss selling or buying real estate. I’m happy to offer a market analysis of your home anytime, with no strings attached! Sincerely, HATCH

FROM THE TRAIL #47, DADS

FROM THE TRAIL #47, DADS

While I just published this video today, I shot the frames for it a couple of weeks ago while my son Ethan and his friend fished a special lake together. Since that day on the water my Aunt JoAnne passed away and just last weekend my dad-in-law Corky also passed away. What a year of grief and sadness and while their deaths were not covid related, they compounded what has been a sad year for my family. But we rise above and keep the beautiful memories atop our minds and that lifts our frowns to smiles. Welcome to #47 From the Trail. It stinks to lose people close in your life. Those who raised you. Those who shaped you. Those who loved you. And those who took you fishing. For this I'm grateful for my Dad, my Aunt JoAnne and my dad-in-law Corky. Too much loss but so many good memories, of being free....