Today marks the 150th anniversary of the very first issue of the Golden Transcript (originally called the Colorado Transcript).
The paper was started by George West, who helped found the town of Golden in 1859, before enlisting in the Union army and fighting in the Civil War. Captain West was a colorful character–not only a good journalist, but an entertaining one. He was devoted to Golden and promoted it tirelessly until his death in 1906.
Old copies (1866-1930) of the Transcript are available online, on the coloradohistoricnewspapers.org website. The paper was called The Colorado Transcript from December 19, 1866 – March 16, 1969 (5236 issues). You’ll fine those back issues here. In March of 1969 they changed the name to The Golden Transcript. Click here to read Golden Transcripts.
The Golden History Center continues to digitize more recent (post 1969) issues of the Transcript. In the meantime, you might enjoy perusing this PDF copy of the December 19, 1866 issue of the Colorado Transcript.
Every history book that has been written about Golden has used The Golden Transcript as primary source material. We are so lucky to have had our own paper, chronicling life in Golden for the past 150 years.
Congratulations to The Golden Transcript! May you be with us for another 150 years!