Newlands Neighborhood & N. Boulder Park
Newlands Neighborhood & North Boulder Park
The community of the Newlands Colorado Neighborhood and North Boulder Park are one of the most fantastic, and dare I say, magical locations to call home in Boulder Colorado! That is because of its close proximity to the foothills, a large open park where people gather, and the historical stories of the settlers’ past that surrounds the community like urban legends. The houses themselves aren’t too shabby either. They range from being built in the early 1940’s with the brick and farm style all the way to the modern, contemporary houses that have been custom built. There are still some house in the original and then some that have been newly remodeled.
North Boulder Park
The North Boulder Park is the centerpiece of the Newland’s Community. There are so many reasons to enjoy this park! First and foremost it is a gathering place for the residents of the community. People gather for picnics and also to play with their children on the large jungle gym. There is a sheltered area for hosting parties or simply to provide shelter from the gorgeous and sometimes intense Colorado sunshine. Of course we get thunderstorms, too, which is another benefit to the covered area. Don’t be surprised if the local SweetCow parks their unique ice cream truck to sell their most delicious, handmade cream to your children!
This wide open area is also a good gathering place for some of the unique activities that Boulder can boast. The two most prominent events that populate this park in the summertime include the Boulder Cruiser Ride and in the winter, the Nordic Club. The Boulder Cruiser Ride is an incredible event that happens weekly in Boulder, as weather permits. Bikes literally take over the streets as people take new, unexpected routes through town each week. The North Boulder Park is the perfect gathering place for these events because it accommodates so many people! Remember to bring your sense of humor to this event and wear something funky! Costumes are encouraged and so are lights to make your bike glow at night!
When the weather turns cold and the bikes no longer come out the park becomes the home of the Boulder Nordic Club. This group of Nordic skiing enthusiasts will groom trails for the club members, and general community, to enjoy. The grooming starts when there is approximately 3-5 inches of snow, depending on the snow’s density. To join the Boulder Nordic Club is only $25 per year. The funds collected go to maintaining the equipment that is used to groom the trails.
History
The Newland family came to Colorado looking for gold in the late 1800’s and like so many prospectors before them they found that it was more profitable to have a farm and support the gold miners than it was to actually be one of the miners. In 1871 they moved to Boulder and established their farm just north of Alpine and West of Broadway, which is current day location of the North Boulder Park. As reported in the Daily Camera, the Newland’s family produced strawberries, peaches, and other fruit to be sold to the community at large. They were known for their winter wheat, grapes, apples, and even dairy cows.
It was due to a grasshopper infestation that ruined his crop in the year of 1875. This caused the Newlands family to sell off their land into lots for new homes to be established. Father William was met with an untimely death leaving Mother Mary Newland to tend to their farm and land with her children and their grandchildren. It was in 1891 that the majority of the farmland was transferred as parcels for the construction of new home sites. Through the 1920’s the community flourished as people found the larger lots attractive and proximity to downtown and their jobs convenient. It was in 1953 that the Farmer’s Ditch was built under North Boulder Park as part of the Newlands Addition Redevelopment. This shored up the original ditch which was leaking and creating a swamp in the North Boulder Park. When the area dried out the newly reclaimed land was used for 16 new home sites.
Real Estate Market
The Newlands Colorado Neighborhood is one of the most exclusive addresses in the City of Boulder. The homes in the area are so desirable because of their proximity to both the hiking trails in the close-in foothills as well as its walking or biking distance to Pearl Street. In the past 12 moths since August 1, 2015 there were 113 homes sold in Newlands Colorado. Of these, only 38 sold for less than $1,000,000. The average sales price for The Newlands was $1,660,000, which turns out to the be the same number for the median home value. What that indicates is that overall the community sells for a high value with very little sales on either extreme. If 38 of the homes sold for less than $1m than 66% of the homes sold for more. There were 18 homes in 2015/14 that sold for greater than $2,000,000 which was about 15% of the homes. The homes that sold for this elevated price point were greater than 4,500 square feet and no larger than 6,500 total.
