What’s Happening in Golden Today?
8-9AM Morning StART with Raven Rohrig @ Foothills Art Center
9-9:55AM Silver Sneakers Classic (Virtual)
9:15-9:45AM Baby Time @ Golden Library
10-10:30AM Call In: Mid-Morning Meditation (Virtual)
10-10:55AM Chair Yoga (Virtual)
10:15-10:45AM Toddler Time @ Golden Library
10:40AM Mines Winter Classic & Multi @ Stermole Stadium
1PM Friday Highlights Tour @ Colorado Railroad Museum
3-5PM Dungeons & Dragons Hangout @ Golden Library
6PM Run Club @ Runners Roost
7:30PM The Great American Trailer Park Musical @ Miners Alley Playhouse
Live Music
4-7PM Facebagel @ Coda Brewing
5-8PM Live Music @ Eddy Taproom
5-8PM Dr. Flavor Duo @ Goosetown Station
5-9PM Rescue Dogs @ Over Yonder
7-10PM Chris Child @ Buffalo Rose (Sky Bar Stage)
7-10PM Bunny Blake @ Morris & Mae
8PM HomeSlice @ Buffalo Rose (main venue)
9PM Karaoke @ Ace Hi Tavern
Golden History Moment
96 Years Ago
Since the dawn of the automotive age, Golden had dreamed of attracting huge crowds of tourists. The February 3, 1927 Colorado Transcript announced a plan that seemed likely to bring them.
AUTOS TO JUMP FROM CASTLE ROCK
As an advertising stunt in advance of the Denver automobile show, the Denver Automobile Dealers’ association has arranged for a rather spectacular affair near Golden on Sunday, the 13th. Fifty or more decrepit automobiles will be taken to the summit of Castle mountain. A runway will be built and one after the other of the old boats will be started on their last trip and sent hurtling over the cliffs. If good weather prevails that day, it is expected a monster crowd will be here from Denver to see the old machines take the jump.
Colorado Transcript – February 3, 1927
The neighbors who lived below Castle Rock were a bit dubious about the plan. The February 10th Transcript reported that Prof. R. A. Baxter appeared at City Council to ask that the City take steps to protect the homes and yards below. The Mayor responded that the car launch would be conducted outside the City limits, so neighbors should talk to the county sheriff.
The Transcript declined to publicize the event (which was sponsored by the Denver Post), so they said little about it afterwards.
The Jefferson County Republican wasn’t as restrained. They said it was “… about as thrilling as a couple of small boys rolling a hoop along the street. “
Thousands of people came out from the city to see the wonderful sight and the streets of Golden were jammed with traffic for several hours during the afternoon. The memory of the great event will linger long with the people of Golden for every time they cast an eye toward the rising sun they can behold a pile of old junk deposited on the side of the picturesque mountain. All praise to the Denver Post for the thrilling stunt so soon to be forgotten by the witnesses and so long to be remembered by the people of Golden for the ugly scar it left on the landscape.
Jefferson County Republican – February 17, 1927
You may wonder what happened to the junked cars after the big event. According to Mike Leidich, who lives right down the hill from that site:
The property where they landed belonged to my great-grandfather F.W.Beamer. There still were a few cars left in the early 1950’s and my brothers and I had a great time playing in the rusty old wrecks.
Thanks to the Golden History Museum for providing the online cache of historic Transcripts, and to the Golden Transcript for documenting our history since 1866!
