Virtual Events
9-11:30AM Virtual: Accelerate Your Career for Mature Job Seekers (through January 22)
Real World Events
10AM-3PM Brunch at the Rose @ Buffalo Rose
10AM Biker Breakfast @ Avalanche Harley (map)
10:15AM Family Time @ Golden Library
Live Music
11AM-2PM Jon Farmer @ Buffalo Rose (Sky Bar Stage)
7-10PM Chris Child @ Buffalo Rose (Sky Bar Stage)
9PM Karaoke @ Ace Hi Tavern
Golden History Moment
Correction: Yesterday’s article about the Golden Mill said “In 1963, the City purchased the water rights from the mill ditch and filled it in.” That was a typo: the City filled in the ditch in 1953–not ’63. Thanks to Susan Ganter, owner of the Golden Mill, for catching that!
CLEAR CREEK CANYON RAILROAD POSTCARDS
Part 1
Contributed by Bill Robie
GOLDEN TO “INSPIRATION POINT”
Early 1900 Clear Creek Canyon postcards were always of the railroad and the various passenger and freight trains that used the line. Construction west of Golden began in August, 1871, as the Colorado Central and the line was finally abandoned and dismantled as the Colorado & Southern in 1941.
This interesting postcard shows water from the Welch Ditch overflow weir cascading down into Clear Creek. The location is just west of Golden near the present-day entrance to Hwy 6 Tunnel No. 1. Just visible on the left side of the view is a small section of the railway track and a steam locomotive drawn in by hand. Photographers, from which the postcards were usually made, almost never waited around for a train to come. They just took the image and had the train drawn in later back in the studio.
“Hanging Rock” was the first railroad feature customarily photographed west of Golden. The location, looking up the canyon in this view, is now under Hwy 6 on the south bank of Clear Creek about 1/2 mile before the entrance to Tunnel No. 2.
In this view looking west, a short distance beyond “Hanging Rock”, the track is on the south bank of Clear Creek and now under Hwy 6. Around the curve to the right is the entrance to Tunnel 2 right after the highway crosses to the north bank of clear creek. “The Old Roadmaster” rock pinnacle stands tall in the upper portion of the view.
“Mother Grundy” was named for the face silhouette on the rock wall in this view on the south bank of Clear Creek looking down the canyon. The location is opposite the entrance to Tunnel 2 where the uphill track curves left to enter the portion of the canyon now bypassed by the tunnel which would be to the left of this view on the north side of the Creek.
“Inspiration Point” was in the section of the canyon bypassed by Tunnel 2 which bores through the rock ridge on the left side of this view. The train is heading west along the south bank of Clear Creek. An average track grade in the canyon of almost 2% and nearly continuous curves required the small locomotives even with short trains to work very hard. The firemen must have constantly shoveled coal into the boiler to keep the steam pressure up producing tall columns of dark gray smoke. The noise reverberating between the canyon walls must have been intense.
RAILROAD POSTCARDS “BEAVER BROOK” TO “FORKS CREEK”
Just beyond “Inspiration Point”, in this artist’s view looking down the canyon, was the Beaver Brook station at the point where Beaver Brook enters Clear Creek. This location is also in the canyon section bypassed by Tunnel 2. Scheduled train time for the 7.6 miles from Golden to Beaver Brook was 45 minutes in 1882.
Beaver Brook station, on the south bank of Clear Creek, with its large pavilion perched on the hillside along with other entertaining attractions, was a popular destination for day-tourists, weekenders, and host for many “merry” events. Locomotives could also replenish their water supply here from the trackside water tank.
A little further along was “Rocky Point” located on a sharp, right curve nearly opposite the uphill end of Tunnel 2 which would be to the left in this view looking down the canyon. Notice the long section of dry-stack rock retaining wall common throughout the canyon to support the roadbed. Also notice the superimposed hand-drawn locomotive and train.
To be continued tomorrow….
Many thanks to Bill Robie for this detailed progression through Clear Creek Canyon and sharing these rare and interesting postcards!
