HISTORY: Uravan Boardinghouse, by Marie Templeton and the Rimrocker Historical Society. Picture Credits Elva Clark and Ken Bonner.

Wittern story from an oral history tape by Elva Clark.

In September 1911, my parents, Harry and Cora Wittern, with two small children, my sister Mae and I made the trip from Little Rock, Iowa by train to Placerville. From there we traveled by team and wagon to Nucla. It took all day to make the trip. Until we could get settled in our own home, we stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Attlesea, who had been here for three or four years.

My father, Harry Wittern was a painter and paperhanger by trade and there wasn’t much of that kind of work in this area. He was what I call a misfit here. He lived here all his life and he didn’t like it. He was a city boy and the rough hard life of a small farmer wasn’t what he was used to. They had run a restaurant before moving to Nucla.

When they first came he did some paperhanging and painting for Biglins. Then he painted the Congregational Church for free. He also put the first coat of paint on the Uravan Boardinghouse. The people around here always called him “ The Little Dude.” He always wore a fancy white hat. In this picture you can see him standing there with the other men and he isn’t dressed like they are.

Picture:

A short time ago the Uravan Boardinghouse got another coat of paint. Part of this will be paid for with a grant that the Rimrocker Historical Society received from the Colorado Historical Society. UMETCO will pick up the rest of the tab. Sutherland Brothers held the contract to do the preservation work and paint the building. The boardinghouse is back to white, the original color. We think it looks beautiful and we hope you agree.