A Picture Puzzle, 25 New Cases in Golden, Ice Sculpture, and Reaching Black Hawk

*Golden Eye Candy – Chris Davell – Something’s not quite right with this picture…what is it? Answer tomorrow…click to enlarge*

Coronavirus/COVID-19

Public Health References
CDC * Colorado * Jefferson County * City of Golden

Jefferson County is at Level Red, “Severe Risk.” Here’s the most recent Coronavirus report from Jeffco Public Health’s Case Summary Page:

Cases in Jeffco – Weds: 24,622 | Thurs: 24,913 (+291)
Deaths in Jeffco – Weds: 538| Thurs: 542 (+4)
Currently Hospitalized in Jeffco – Weds: 241| Thurs: 243 (+2)
Known Cases in Golden – Tues: 819 | Thurs: 844 (+25)

Mines COVID Testing | Jeffco Fairgrounds COVID Testing | School of Mines COVID-19 case page. | Stage 2 fire restrictions | Sign up for exposure notifications.

Virtual Golden

6-6:55AM Virtual HIIT
8:30-9:30AM Virtual Power Training
4-5PM Friday Crafternoons – Origami Stars! – JCPL
4-5PM Teen Hangout – JCPL

Real World Golden

*Ice Sculpture at 12th and Washington – December 5, 2020 – Chris Davell – click to enlarge*

A new ice sculpture will appear today in the Loveland Gardens pocket park. That’s the east side of the 1100 block of Washington Avenue. (Wonder what it will be?)

10AM-5PM Holiday Art Market
1-2PM Friday Tour at the Railroad Museum – Locomotives

Golden History Moment

*Excerpt from a photograph of Black Hawk – Denver Public Library Western History Collection – click to enlarge*

148 Years Ago
The December 11, 1872 Colorado Transcript announced that the Colorado Central Railroad had reached Black Hawk. That was a great day for the Golden-based railroad. The Colorado Central had been completed from Denver to Golden in September of 1870. It was convenient for Golden businesses and residents to have an easy way to get to and from the larger metropolis, but the real objective for the Colorado Central was to reach the rich mining towns in the mountains.

This connection to Black Hawk enabled Golden to sell our goods to that city and to carry their ore to smelters in Golden and Denver. It was a boon to Golden’s economy and growing industrial base.

*Westward growth of the Colorado Central Railroad – click to enlarge*

The plan was to proceed with all speed to extend the road to Central City, Idaho Springs, Georgetown, and other mining towns. The Panic of 1873 significantly slowed the CCRR’s expansion, but they were finally able to build to Idaho Springs and Georgetown in 1877 and Central City in 1878.

Colorado Central Railroad - Golden Colorado

Thanks to Dan Abbott for his book, Colorado Central Railroad. Thanks also to the Golden History Museum for providing the online cache of historic Transcripts and to the Golden Transcript for documenting our history since 1866.