No New Stats, a Few Virtual Events, and Considerable Detail about a Small House and a Long-Forgotten Business

Golden Eye Candy – Jen Rutter – Sunrise – Click to enlarge

Public Health References
CDC * Colorado * Jefferson County * City of Golden

JCPHD updates these numbers Monday through Friday at about 3 PM. Here’s the most recent Coronavirus report from Jeffco Public Health’s Case Summary Page:

The next new numbers will come out this afternoon and will appear in tomorrow’s email.

Mask Rules:
Jefferson County has amended their mask rule: masks must now be worn both indoors and outdoors in public spaces where 6 feet distance cannot be maintained. This matches Golden’s requirement. The rest of the state requires masks only indoors.

The Safer at Home and in the Vast, Great Outdoors protocol is in effect statewide. City and County fire restrictions are in place.

Virtual Golden

6:30-7:25AM Virtual Dynamic Circuit
9-10AM Virtual Power Training
10:15-11:15AM Cuentacuentos en español / Spanish Story Time with the Library

Golden History Moment

Yesterday, I annotated some local news from 1893, including mentions of Manhattan Beach, the Denver Lakewood & Golden Railway, the Columbian Exposition, the Golden Tourist Camp, and Standley Hall.

*The house built by the J. H. Brown family in 1890, formerly known at 1607 Ford Street.*

Yesterday’s post contained an error: in referring to a house at 6th and Ford, I said the house had been replaced by a retaining wall on North Ford Street. Here’s what I forgot–Golden renumbered its streets in 1904! What was 6th Street in 1893 is 16th Street today, so I should have been looking for a house at 16th and Ford.

I spent yesterday researching 16th and Ford, and learning about the family who built that house. J. H. Brown opened a dry goods store in 1888 in the space occupied by Del’s Tonsorial Parlor today.

What are “dry goods?” Here’s Wikipedia’s answer: In the United States, dry goods are products such as textiles, ready-to-wear clothing, sundries, and “grocery items (such as tobacco, sugar, flour, and coffee) that do not contain liquid”. In US retailing, a dry-goods store carries consumer goods that are distinct from those carried by hardware stores and grocery stores.

The business prospered, and in 1890, they were able to build a house on an empty double lot at 6th (now 16th) and Ford. The Browns were very involved in the Baptist Church (13th and Jackson). Mrs. Brown taught a Sunday School class for decades, and Mr. Brown served as on the board of trustees. Mrs. Brown was also a long-time member of the Progressive Club (a social and study group). She was a founding board member and driving force behind the Golden Library.

*Early drawing of Engineering Hall on the School of Mines Campus – Dan Abbott Collection – Click to enlarge*

The Browns had two sons, who also did well. Freddie began with a bicycle company (Pierce Cycle Company) and rose to Vice President before joining an automobile company when autos came along, rose with that industry and wound up working for Chrysler Motors in the San Francisco Bay area. The other son, Norton, graduated from the School of Mines and became a mining engineer. He lived several places around the west and eventually became the Superintendent of the Argo Tunnel in Idaho Springs.

In later years, the Browns owned ten acres on Lookout Mountain and often vacationed in their cabin on that land. They had relatives in Illinois, and frequently exchanged visits with them.

Mr. Brown retired and sold the store in 1919. They enjoyed several years of traveling and continued their club and church pursuits. They celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary in 1927. Mrs. Brown died the following year and Mr. Brown died in 1933.

*Auction of the Brown estate – Colorado Transcript, September 1, 1966*

Getting back to the house at 16th and Ford…their son Norton occupied the house after his parents’ death. When he died in 1966, the contents of the house were sold in an auction at the house.

*1607 Ford Street / 521 16th Street – photo from Google Maps*

In 1973, a curious transformation took place. The house was divided into three apartments and a brick apartment building was constructed in the former side-yard. The two buildings appear separate, but are joined by a common roof. “1607 Ford Street” no longer appears on the county assessor’s records; instead, the entire property is now identified as “521 16th Street.” The assessor’s records show the combined building as being built in 1890 and 1973.

*Record for 521 16th Street from the Jefferson County Assessor’s website*

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!