The Little Thompson Valley Pioneer Museum is sched-uled to be outfi tted with hand-forged iron gates and a fence that pay homage to blacksmith Alfred Bimson.

The original museum building, a stone shop that was erected for Bimson in 1893, and Elmer Carlson’s auto repair garage will fl ank the gates and fence at the entrance to the museum grounds. Bimson’s ironwork will serve as the inspiration for

the fence that will be constructed by local artist and blacksmith, David Norrie, along with historical society volunteers.

When Alfred Bimson came to Berthoud in the early 1890s, the town was the agricultural center of southern Larimer County. Bimson spent much of his time shoeing horses and sharp-ening plows, but since he preferred to work at his forge, one of the black-smiths employed in his shop generally handled the shoeing. When Bimson did shoe a horse in November 1899, the local newspaper noted, “ ... Bimson is breathing through a bruised and badly swollen nose this week, the result of an encounter with a large farm horse which objected to being shod. The horse did not seem well posted in box-

ing rules and was not particular whether he knocked out on a foul hit or otherwise.”

The nature of Bimson’s business shifted in the early 1900s when the blacksmith placed an emphasis on sharpening lawn mowers, producing blades for his patented sugar beet puller, and vulcanizing and re-treading rubber tires for automobiles. In the 1920s Bimson began forging ornamental ironwork. In 1929 he went as far as to install a showcase in his shop where he could display his decorative candlesticks, sconces, lamp stands, door knockers, ash trays, lanterns and curtain rods.

Over the decades the Berthoud Historical Society has col-lected several examples of Bimson’s hand-forged tools and ornamental ironwork that have been used to design the gates and fence that will be produced for the Pioneer Museum.

Norrie, who operates a forge and nationally known black-smith school at the old Giebelhaus farm one mile north of Ber-thoud, has designed the gates and fence using several original

Bimson artifacts as inspiration. Norrie has been a blacksmith for more than 30 years and

operates a shop and studio at 1521 First St. At that location he creates sculptures, furniture, railings and gates from a variety of metals. With the Berthoud Historical Society, Norrie will conduct the Bimson Fence and Gate Project at his facility. Community members are invited to participate in the project that will culminate with the installation of the fence and gates next fall.

Norrie and the Berthoud Historical Society hope to spark the community’s interest, involvement and ownership in this art and heritage project. Volunteer labor will also enable the historical society to complete the project on a modest budget. If you or someone you know would like to volunteer for the Bimson Fence and Gate Project, please call Berthoud Histori-cal Society President Mark French at 970-443-5591.

Berthoud Weekly Surveyor May 8, 2014 Page 5

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A LOOK AT BERTHOUD

Norrie to forge new museum gates The British are coming to Berthoud RecreationBy Surveyor staff

With the World Cup only a few months away and with around 20 million Americans now playing soccer, the number-one soccer company in the United States and Canada, Challenger Sports, has been invited to hold one of their highly regarded “British Soccer Camps” right here in the grow-ing soccer community of Berthoud.

Berthoud Recreation has teamed up to host the week-long British Soccer Camp during the week of June 16, at Bein Park.

The camp will run Monday through Friday, and each child will be coached by a member of Challenger’s elite team of 1,200 British soccer coaches fl own to the United States of America exclusively to work on these programs. Challenger Sports will hold over 4,000 soccer programs this year and will coach over 200,000 players between the ages of 3 and 19.

Challenger’s new 1,000 touches

coaching syllabus provides an in-novative daily regimen of foot-skills, moves, juggling, tactical practices and daily tournament play. Challenger also weaves lessons on respect, re-sponsibility, integrity, leadership and sportsmanship into the camper’s daily routine.

The British Soccer Camp program also provides a unique cultural experi-ence for the players, highlighted in the Camp World Cup. The coaches use this daily tournament to teach the play-ers about life, customs and traditions of other countries. The campers are asked to make up soccer chants, wear the team colors of their country, bring fl ags, and learn as much as they can about the country they represent.

Teams are also welcome to attend and receive a week of focused instruc-tion to prepare them for the fall season

— team camp rates are available from your camp coordinator.

Each camper will receive a soccer camp t-shirt, a soccer ball, a giant soccer poster and a personalized skills per-formance evaluation.

In addition, any child who signs up online, at least 45 days prior to camp, will receive a genuine British Soccer replica jersey (value

$39). Space is limited and parents are encouraged to sign up online in ad-vance.

To sign up visit, www.chalengers-ports.com, and for more information please contact David Kenyon at 720-737 5913, or email, dkenyon@challeng-ersports.com.

Then & NowSurveyor Columnist

Mark French

To advertise in this special Loveland business section please contact Diane Wells at

970-532-2252.

Look at Loveland

In Renaze Day Spa • Corner of Mountain Ave. & 7th St.970-532-5898 • Open Tuesday thru Saturday

Free bar of Renaze soap w/purchase.

Shop in Berthoud this Mother’s Day

To advertise in the special section contact Diane Wells at 970-532-2252.

Photo by Mark FrenchAt a recent meeting, blacksmith David Norrie explained his design for the Bimson fence and gates to historical society volunteer Gene Jensen.

Pauline SterkelAug. 29, 1911 - April 26, 2014

Pauline Sterkel, 102, formerly of Berthoud, Colo., died April 26 at the Wakefi eld Care Center in Nebraska. She was born Aug. 29, 1911, in Norka, Rus-sia, to John and Elizabeth Rothermel Kaiser. At the age of 2, she came to the United States with her parents. She married Henry Sterkel on Nov. 25, 1936. He preceded her in death in 1992.

Pauline and her husband spent most of their married life in Denver, and their retire-ment living in Berthoud. She is survived by her half-sister Lorene Hartung, two sons, Harvey Sterkel and wife Lilly of Denver and

Marvin Sterkel of Wakefi eld, Neb.; fi ve grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Christina Schleiger and Leona Hutton, and twin brother George Kaiser and another brother Adam.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., May 9, at the First Congregational Church, Loveland with Rev. Erin Gilmore of-fi ciating. Interment will be in Greenlawn Cemetery in Ber-thoud. Go to www.viegutfuneralhome.com for condolences.

OBITUARY

Pauline Sterkel

Berthoud Recreation offers British Soccer Camp sessions for the following ages and prices:Ages 3-4: First Kicks, 11 a.m. - noon, $89Ages 4-6: Mini Soccer, 10:30 a.m. - noon, $104Ages 4-6: Mini Soccer, 1 - 2:30 p.m., $104Ages 6-9: Half Day, 9 a.m. - noon, $133Ages 10-14: Half Day, 1 - 4 p.m., $133