Museums, Misery, Music, and Goldens in Golden Kick-Off

*Golden Eye Candy – Alan Pinkus – Fiery Sunrise – enlarge*

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN GOLDEN TODAY?

10:15-10:45AM Toddler Time @ Golden Library

10:30AM and 1:30PM The Friday Tour @ Colorado Railroad Museum
12-12:55PM All Levels Yoga (Virtual)
1-1:45PM Silver Sneakers Yoga (Virtual)

3PM Goldens in Golden Kick Off Party @ Golden Mill
Goldens in Goldon Pre-Party: Golden Retriever Rescue and Dog Portraits from 3-7 PM. Ice Sculptures from 4:30 carving a Ice Golden Retrever!

7:30PM Misery @ Miners Alley Performing Arts Center

SEE THE COMPLETE CALENDAR OF EVENTS.

Did you receive this email from a friend? Sign up to get your own copy!

LIVE MUSIC

5PM Frisk Solo @ Dirty Dogs Roadhouse
5-8PM Live Music @ Eddy Taproom

7-10PM Southside Mike @ Buffalo Rose (Sky Bar Stage)
7PM An Evening of Chamber Music @ Colorado School of Mines

7PM Edison’s Medicine The Tesla Experience & Halfway There, a Bon Jovi Tribute @ Buffalo Rose (main venue)
7PM Mark Swaim @ Golden Moon Speakeasy
9PM Karaoke @ Ace Hi Tavern

GOLDEN HISTORY MOMENT

*Opening day at Magic Mountain in 1959 – note the unfinished buildings and unpaved streets – enlarge*

55 Years Ago
The February 2, 1969 Colorado Transcript reported on a speech given to the Chamber of Commerce by the new owner of a defunct amusement park. Magic Mountain was an unsuccessful attempt to recreate Disneyland. It opened in 1959 and closed the following year. The property remained unused for several years, but in 1969 it was purchased by Steven Arnold, a real estate developer.

Asked what he planned to do with the property, he “spoke mostly of what his company, the Woodmore Corp., was not going to do. They are not going to build an amusement park.” He said he was “leaning in the direction of some type of residential area. Perhaps it will be homes, town houses or something of this nature.”

*Postcard from Heritage Square’s “Artisans Marketplace” era – Golden History Museum Collection – enlarge*

By 1971, Steven Arnold had decided to use the area as an artisans marketplace, with individual crafters renting studios and selling their goods. At various times, candle making, glass blowing, blacksmithing, leatherworking, ceramics, jewelry making, and several other crafts were represented. Arnold’s company declared bankruptcy in 1974 and the property went into receivership.

*Heritage Square Railroad, amusement park, shops, go-karts, restaurants, bubbles, boats, alpine slide, main street – enlarge*

Eventually, the quarry next door bought Heritage Square. Their overriding objective was to ensure that the property would not be redeveloped by someone who would complain about having a quarry next door. For several years, they allowed it to operate as an amusement park, shopping area, special events center, and live theater spot.

*The site of Heritage Square, now gone – aerial photo by Patrick Klein – enlarge*

Martin Marietta Materials closed Heritage Square in 2015. They plan to expand their quarry to the south.

*Satellite image from Google Maps – enlarge*

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!

GOLDENTODAY IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Many thanks to the people and organizations who support What’s Happening in Golden? If you would like to support local news, please CLICK HERE!

FEBRUARY SPONSORS: Buffalo Rose, Buglet Solar, Foothills Art Center, Golden City Brewery, Golden Cultural Alliance, Golden History Museum, Golden Super Cruise, Miners Alley Playhouse, The Golden Mill, Golden Chamber of Commerce, Golden History Tours, Morris & Mae Market, Miners Saloon, Joy and Jack Brandt, Tom Reiley, ML Richardson, and Gail Strout

Contributors: Greg Poulos, Vic DeMaria, Cynthia Merrill Tamny, and Barry & Liz Bettis

Ongoing Monthly Supporters:
Tall Pines Painting, Baby Doe’s Clothing, Golden Community Garden, Carol & Doug Harwood, Jennings & Litz, Bill Fisher, Brian Quarnstrom, Casey & Gina Brown, Cheryl & Tom Schweich, Robert Storrs, Karen Smith, Sandy Curran, Paul Haseman, Michele Sannes, Kathy Smith, Crystal Culbert, Pat Madison, Donna Anderson, Ann Pattison, Carol & Don Cameron, Tom Hughes, Emeline Paulson, Susan Gray, David Smith, Karen Oxman, Laura King & Scott Wilson, Bill Sedgeley, Mariane Erickson, Carol Abel, Dot & Eric Brownson, Ann Norton & Jonathan Storer, Deb Goeldner, Rosemary Coffman, Jim & LouAnne Dale, Francine Butler, Elaine Marolla, Dixie Termin & Ron Miller, John & Andi Pearson, Chris Ball, Tom Hoffman, Patrick & Lisa Vitry, Alice Madison & Jim Kalivas, Lora Haimes, Nancy & Carlos Bernal, and Stephanie Painter, Holly Thomas, Julie Bartos & Brad Miller, and Bobby German & Alison McNally

PREVIOUS ARTICLES – SUBSCRIBE TO WHAT’S HAPPENING IN GOLDEN