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City Services Re-Opening and the 19th Century Plains Indian Wars

Golden Eye Candy by Chris Davell – Click to enlarge

Month-End Appeal

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Coronavirus News

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

Jeffco Public Health is updating the stats for COVID-19 cases Monday through Friday afternoons, so the next update I post will be in tomorrow’s email.

The Safer at Home protocol is in effect. Check the City’s site to learn more about what that entails. Everyone is still requested to wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth when leaving the house. City and County fire restrictions are in place.


Virtual Golden

6:30-7:25AM Virtual Dynamic Circuit
9-10AM Virtual Power Training
10:15-11:15AM Spanish Story Time with the Library


Real Life Golden Resuming

Starting today, the outdoor lap pool at The Splash will be open by appointment for laps only. Book a time here.

Beginning Thursday, the Golden History Museum will be open Thursday-Saturday from 10AM-2PM. Only members with reservations will be admitted from 10-11AM. Learn more on the museum’s blog….


Golden History Moment

One of my readers asked me last week if the Transcript had been a racist paper. I responded that the editorial voice depended on the editor, and for the most part no, they were not notably racist…with the exception of the period from 1906-1927, when George West’s son, Harley, was running the paper. I could produce several examples of racist comments from his era.

Having made such a statement, imagine my surprise when I saw the article published 150 years ago today, on June 29, 1870: “Will the West Stand for It?” I have no doubt that George West himself wrote this article, in which he expresses fury with the Grant administration for their efforts to make peace with the Plains Indians.

President Ulysses S. Grant – Courtesy of the Library of Congress

It is not at all strange that western people look with the most supreme contempt upon the President and officers of the government who have debased themselves and insulted every man, woman, and child west of the Missouri by this miserable driveling over the lousy, cutthroat Sioux whom they have been feasting and fawning upon for the last three weeks. These very brutes and their followers have been murdering our men and women with the most horrible indecencies for the past five years….

Chief Red Cloud – Courtesy of the Library of Congress

The article goes on to refer to them as “these murderers of our brethren and ravishers of our wives and sisters…murderous savages…villainous brutes.”

That article wasn’t “racist” in the way that his son’s were–referencing a marginalized group with contempt–but it certainly expresses loathing for an enemy of another race.

The article ends with the threat of the western states seceding from the union “if the government does not cease its insults and give us the protection we have the right to claim!” (This, coming from a Union officer.) It was an unusually passionate and angry article from the normally low-key, good-natured George West.

Highlights