Coronavirus Update
Public Health References
CDC * Colorado * Jefferson County * City of Golden
Jefferson County’s case count page says that as of 3PM yesterday, there were 704 (up from 673) “confirmed, probable, suspected, or under investigation” cases in Jefferson County. There have been 25 deaths (unchanged!) and 175 are hospitalized (up from 163). There are 64 known cases in Golden (up from 59).
The State-Wide Stay-at-Home Order is in effect through April 26, 2020. Everyone is asked to wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth when leaving the house. City and County fire restrictions are in place. Clear Creek is closed to all recreational activities.
Virtual Golden
The Jeffco Libraries offer several forms of online entertainment. Check them out:
E-books and Audiobooks
Quality Films and Documentaries
Newspapers and Magazines
Educational Entertainment for Kids
More Hoopla!
DIY Arts and Crafts
Golden Business News
Getting tired of your own cooking? It’s not too late to order Easter Brunch-to-Go from the Buffalo Rose! Please place your order by noon today. See the menu and the details.
Buffalo Rose | 1119 Washington Ave | 720-638-5597 | Map
Golden History Moment
This is the morning when the Golden Easter Egg Hunt would normally occur. Since that’s not possible this year, I thought I’d summarize what I could find about Easter eggs in Golden history, as found by searching back issues of the Golden Transcript/Colorado Transcript.
The tradition of Easter egg hunts goes back hundreds of years in Europe, but became mainstream during the reign of Queen Victoria, as she and her husband arranged them for their own large family. The first egg hunt at the White House occurred in 1878, when Rutherford B. Hayes was President. (source)
The first reference I could find to coloring Easter eggs in Golden was an 1883 promotion for Easter egg dyes, available at Dr. Kelly’s drugstore. Thereafter, I saw dye advertised at Robinson’s Bookstore (1922 and 1923), Alpine Drug (1926 and 1928), Stewart’s Grocery (1934), Chuck’s Market & Grocery (1941), Foss Drug (1948, 1966, 1968, 1969), George’s Grocery (1950 and 1951), and Safeway (1958, 1959).
The Transcript had a Society column for many years, and there were occasional references to Easter egg hunts at children’s parties beginning in 1906. The names of the participating children were listed at smaller parties, and the names of the prize winners were listed at larger ones.
There was also a “Churches” feature for many years, which listed the services and special events at each church in town. I found many references over the years to Easter egg hunts at the churches–particularly Calvary Episcopal starting in 1916, and the Presbyterian church beginning in 1923.
Businesses began offering egg hunts as the 20th century progressed. Alpine Drugs (now Del’s Tonsorial Parlor) hosted a hunt in 1928. The location was a secret until the children arrived at the store. They then led the whole group over to Brooks Field (the Mines football field).
The Oasis Service Station at 24th and East Street (now Golden Auto Clinic) hosted an egg hunt in 1933, inviting children as follows: Parents may accompany their children if they wish. However, the children will be absolutely safe, as the hunt will be conducted away from highway traffic. The eggs will be hidden on the Oasis lawn, in adjoining fields and along the mountainside. Men will be stationed at different points to see that the children do not wander onto the highway. The Transcript later reported that 250 children had attended.
The first big community egg hunt was hosted by the Lions Club in 1943. They held it in two widely-spaced locations, with the younger children in Parfet Park (10th and Washington) and the older children at Pioneer Park (16th and Arapahoe). “Little Katherine Ellen Gillchriest” found the prize egg and won a subscription to the Transcript. (I wonder how little she was, and how she enjoyed her subscription.)
Notwithstanding the 1943 hunt, in 1953, the “First Annual East Egg Hunt” was advertised. The Chamber of Commerce, with assistance from the Lions Club and the Boy Scouts, hosted the hunt in Parfet Park. The Home Economics classes at Golden High School boiled and colored the eggs, and the downtown merchants purchased hundreds of candy eggs to augment the “real egg” supply. The Transcript later reported that 750-1000 children participated. They went through 45 dozen eggs and 60 pounds of candy eggs.
By the late 1960s, the Golden Optimists Club was partnering with the Golden Recreation Center (then located in the building that now holds the library). During those years, the eggs were hidden “along the banks of Clear Creek.”
By 1970, people were becoming paranoid about food prepared by unknown people, and the Transcript made a point of specifying that the eggs were not the hard-boiled variety–they were wrapped chocolate eggs.
Pleasant View also began holding egg hunts in 1970, and Heritage Square hosted them some years, beginning in 1974.
My historical research ended at that point, as the online Transcripts end in November of 1974; however, I have personal experience of the hunts beginning in the mid-1990s, when my daughter was the right age to participate. By that time, the Golden Kiwanis Club was partnering with the Chamber and had moved the event to Parfet Park.
1998 was a particularly memorable Easter egg hunt. It snowed that year, so the planners decided they couldn’t hold the event outdoors. The Golden Hotel was under construction at that time, and they allowed the event to take place in their parking garage.
Many thanks to the Golden History Museum for providing the online cache of historic Transcripts, and many thanks to the Golden Transcript for documenting our history since 1866!
