During the 1930s, large swaths of the high plains–including eastern Colorado–experienced the years-long drought, high winds, and massive soil erosion that became known as the Dust Bowl. Jefferson County was still largely agricultural at that time. Its population of farmers and ranchers must have watched the Dust Bowl with horrified fascination, hoping that it wouldn’t extend this far north.
90 Years Ago
The March 28, 1935 Colorado Transcript reported that a sizable dust storm had visited Golden.
Dust Storm Hides Sun in Golden on Tuesday
The bright rays of the sun were cut off from Golden by a cloud of dust carried in on an east wind from the plains country on Tuesday afternoon.
Golden people, who have been hearing about the terrific dust storms which have been sweeping the plains country of eastern Colorado and western Kansas for the last 10 days were given a mild demonstration of what they must have meant to the prairie folk.
About 3 o’clock Tuesday a huge cloud of dust traveling westward was seen approaching the gap between North and South Table mountains.
Raising to pass over the Table mountains the cloud of dust passed over the city without giving Golden much of a dusting. The dust overhead was so dense that Table and Lookout mountains were obscured and the sun was hidden for the rest of the afternoon.
Colorado Transcript – March 28, 1935
