Setting at the Foothills
Golden is a home rule city and the county seat of Jefferson County. It lies along Clear Creek at the base of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, west of Denver, and is part of the Denver-Aurora-Centennial metropolitan area and the Front Range Urban Corridor.
The city sits between Lookout Mountain and the two Table Mountains in a sheltered valley shaped by Clear Creek. The creek enters town from the west through its canyon, passes through the valley, and continues between North Table Mountain and South Table Mountain.
Gold Rush Beginnings
Golden was founded during the Pike's Peak gold rush on June 16, 1859. The settlement was first called Golden City in honor of Thomas L. Golden, and it grew along Clear Creek west of Denver. Early settlers included businessmen and prospectors such as William A.H. Loveland and George West.
Its location made it a trade point between mining areas to the west and settlements to the east. Golden City served as capital of the provisional Territory of Jefferson from 1860 to 1861 and as capital of the official Territory of Colorado from 1862 to 1867, when the territorial capital moved east to Denver City.
Education, Science, and Industry
Golden is home to the Colorado School of Mines, which offers programs in engineering and science. The National Earthquake Information Center is on the Mines campus, and the National Laboratory of the Rockies is also located in the city.
The city became a regional center of trade and industry with flour mills, smelters, the Coors Brewery, brick works, a paper mill, and clay and coal mines. Coors Brewing Company, CoorsTek, Spyderco, Software Bisque, Yeti Cycles, and the American Mountaineering Center are located in Golden.
Museums and Cultural Sites
Golden has several museums, including the Golden History Museum & Park, Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, Colorado Railroad Museum, Mines Museum of Earth Science, and the Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum. The Mother Cabrini Shrine is also in Golden.
The city is home to the Jefferson Symphony Orchestra, the Foothills Art Center, and Miners Alley Playhouse in downtown Golden. Western showman William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody is buried nearby on Lookout Mountain.
Outdoor and Brewing Connections
Golden’s location near rock climbing, skiing, and mountaineering areas is tied to the American Mountaineering Center, which houses the American Alpine Club, The Colorado Mountain Club, and Outward Bound. Clear Creek is also home to a kayak course, and the city has access to hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and hang gliding opportunities nearby.
Golden is the headquarters and brewery location of Coors Beer, which began in the city and has kept its headquarters there. The brewery offers public tours, and Golden also has several microbreweries.
What it is like
Golden is nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and is described by the city as one of the country’s most picturesque cities, rich in adventure, ingenuity, history and art. Founded in 1859 as a mining supply town, it was named for prospector Thomas L. Golden and served as Colorado’s territorial capital from 1862 to 1867.
Homes and housing
Golden’s housing history includes Loveland’s Cottage, built in 1859 and described as Golden’s oldest building; Burgess House, built in 1866 and later a hotel and rooming house; and Astor House, an 1867 sandstone boarding house enlarged in 1893 with thirteen rooms. Goosetown developed in the 1870s as immigrant railroad workers settled near the Colorado Central Railroad works. The 12th Street Historic District was Golden’s genteel neighborhood, with Victorian and Italianate homes of businessmen, civic leaders, and educators.
Sources: Golden, Colorado (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA); cityofgolden.gov; goldenhistory.org