Golden Eye Candy – Chris Davell – Full Moon – enlarge

The moon will be full tonight at 9:09PM. It will rise at 4:09PM and set at 7:29 tomorrow morning. Source

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What’s Happening in Golden Today?

6-6:55AM Cardio Lift Interval (Virtual)
8:30-9:30AM Power Training (Virtual)
9AM Golden Walks – Wednesday Morning Celebrating Life @ Golden Library
10AM-5PM Holiday Art Market @ Foothills Art Center
10AM and 1PM Wild West Walking Tour (2 hours)
10AM Wild West Short Tour (1 hour)
10:15-10:45AM Toddler Time @ Golden Library
10-10:55AM All Levels Yoga (Virtual)
3-5PM Hard Times Writing Workshop (Virtual)

Golden’s Designated Neighborhoods.

6:30PM Planning Commission Study @ City Hall
The Planning Commission will be going through our several neighborhood plans and evaluating our progress.

7:30PM A Christmas Story @ Miners Alley Playhouse
9:09PM Full Moon

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Live Music

6:30PM Open Jam/Mic at Over Yonder Brewing

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Golden History Moment

This week, the Historic Preservation Board had a lengthy discussion about the age of a house that is slated to be demolished. The conversation came down to the question of whether there was log construction hidden within the walls or if it was entirely built of lumber. That issue was still fresh in my mind when I happened across the article below, which states that sawed lumber was being produced locally as early as July of 1859.

163 Years Ago
George West, founder of the Golden Transcript, was one of the earliest white settlers here in 1859. True to his nature, he started a newspaper six months after his arrival. The first issue of the short-lived Western Mountaineer was published on December 7, 1859. In it, he provided the following account of Golden’s first few months. (I’ve added paragraph breaks to improve readability.)

Golden in July of 1869 – Preliminary Field Report of The United States Geological
Survey of Colorado and New Mexico, 1869, by F. V. Hayden – enlarge

Early in the last spring thousands of gold seekers here pitched their tents preparatory to pushing on into the heart of the mountains….

About the first of June several claims were staked off upon either bank of the creek and recorded as farming and ranching claims. As the emigration came pouring in from the several routes across the plains, all were pushing for the mountains and here nearly all halted to store a portion of their provisions and send out their prospecting parties.

It became evident at once that this was a good point to build up a town. Those who had taken up claims joined with others for the purpose of laying out the town and having it surveyed and plotted. On the 16th of June the first meeting was held, and the initiatory steps taken to carry forward the work.

1859 Plat of Golden showing a saw mill at the confluence of Kinney Run and Clear Creek – Denver Public Library Western History Collection – enlarge

Previous to this a toll bridge had been thrown across the creek; the town association at once entered into negotiations with the proprietors of the bridge and made it free. This liberal policy won the good opinion of all, and a large proportion of the travel to the mountains has passed through Golden City. Immediately after the town had been surveyed, buildings for dwellings and stores began to be erected.

Boston Company building, constructed at 10th and Washington during the summer of 1859 – log construction – enlarge

At first they were of hewed logs, but a stream-sawmill having located here in July, most of the houses then commenced were partially built of sawed lumber; shortly after the first mill was put in operation a second one was established, and by creating a healthy competition the people have been enabled to erect a substantial and comely class of buildings at a very moderate cost.

Loveland’s store (far right), built of sawed lumber during the summer of 1859 – Golden History Museum Collection – enlarge

Already many far-seeing and enterprising merchants have located here, and at present there are a large number of persons in the pineries getting out timber for the purpose of building their winter quarters, and before another month has passed the number of houses will doubtless be more than doubled.
Western Mountaineer – December 7, 1859

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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!

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