Pecuniary Matters, COVID Stats, Jobs Galore, the Golden Cruise Returns, and a Lesser-Known Mill

Golden Eye Candy – Chris Davell – Sunday on the Grant Terry Trail – click to enlarge

*Monday morning at the entrance to the Grant Terry Trail – photo by Chris Davell*

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Weekly COVID Update

% of Jeffco residents (12+) who have received at least one shot (+1.5% since last week) –source

Jefferson County Case Summary:
Cases in Jeffco – June 21st: 48,686 | June 28th: 48,882 (+196)
Deaths in Jeffco – June 21st: 847 | June 28th: 855 (+8)
Currently Hospitalized in Jeffco – June 21st: 24 | June 28th: 11 (-13)
Recovered – June 21st: 47,567 | June 28th: 47,815 (+248)
Known Cases in Golden – June 21st: 2011 | June 28th: 2012 (+1) *

COVID Vaccine Appointments
State of Colorado: Where You Can Get Vaccinated
Jeffco Public Health Vaccine Call Center: 303-239-7000
State Vaccine Hotline: 1-877-268-2926.

Golden Testing Sites
Mines COVID Testing | Jeffco Fairgrounds COVID Testing

More Public Health References
Sign up for exposure notifications | CDC | Colorado | Jefferson County | City of Golden

Virtual Events

9AM Silver Sneakers Classic
9AM Accelerate Your Career – LinkedIn: A Great Job Search Tool
10:15AM Toddler Time with the Library
1:30PM Triad – Senior Safety
2-2:30PM Cliffhangers Club
2-3:30PM Wild Ideas with Cooking for Teens
6-7PM On Pride & Love: Western lesbian writers discuss work, identity and representation
6-7:30PM Teen Author Panel
6-7:30PM Hiking in Buena Vista and Salida

Real World Events

*The Golden Bike Cruise Returns Tonight!*

1-4PM Golden Hiring Fair
The Golden Chamber of Commerce, City of Golden, Visit Golden, and Jefferson County Business & Workforce Center have come together to create a Retail & Hospitality Hiring Fair. Apply onsite for a variety of positions at local Golden stores, restaurants, and hotels. More information

4PM to closing Tuesdays at the Buffalo Rose:
Prime rib dinner for $25 (while supply lasts).
Dogs are welcome to sit on the patio on Tuesday nights.
79 cent Coors Banquet or Coors Light for Golden locals, students, and service industry workers

6PM Golden Bicycle Cruise – Hometown Heroes

Golden History Moment – Summer Reruns

Golden Mills, Part 4

*The mill race that powered the Rock Four Mill. Golden History Museum collection. Click to enlarge.*

Last week, I wrote about Golden ditches and mill runs, and the number of accidental drownings associated with them. Then I segued into the mills that used those mills runs, beginning with the Golden Paper Mill, then the Rock Flour Mill, and finally the Golden Mill. There was one more mill and one more mill race. The Fitzpatrick Mill, unlike the other three mills, was located on the south side of Clear Creek.

Excerpt from the 1878 Willits Map of Golden, redrawn by Dan Abbott. This map shows the mill race that ran along the south side of Clear Creek, to the Fitzpatrick Mill, at 11th and Washington. – click to enlarge

The May 8, 1867 Colorado Transcript included an ad for Star Flouring Mills, operated by Lomax, Palmer, & Co. That mill was located on the south side of Clear Creek, where the Golden Hotel is now. Three months later, the mill burned to the ground. Within a month, John B. Fitzpatrick partnered with one of the previous owners to rebuild the business, this time calling it Brick Mills.

The power generated by a mill could be used in many ways. The Golden Mill’s mill race also powered a quartz crusher, and the Rock Flour Mill was also used for “planing” (shaping lumber into doors and siding). Fitzpatrick’s mill was also used for both “flouring” and “planing.” The southern mill race may not have produced enough power to run the mill consistently. In 1874, Fitzpatrick added engines (presumably coal-powered) to run his machinery when the creek was low or frozen. This would have significantly increased the cost of operation. Within a few years, the Fitzpatrick Flour/Planing Mill closed.

*Colorado Transcript – February 12, 1879*

In 1879, the abandoned building was leased by a Mr. J.E. Valentine, who planned to turn it into a mattress factory. The Transcript was enthused about this venture, as Valentine planned to stuff the mattresses with waste products from the Golden Paper Mill and the Barber Planing Mill–shredded rags and wood shavings. The mattress factory also failed.

*Excerpts from the 1886 and 1890 maps of Golden, Colorado* – click to enlarge

The 1886 Sanborn Map shows the mill as “Closed.” By 1890, it had been converted into a brewery. Happily, that means we have a picture of the old mill buildings (after they were converted into a brewery). The brewery, too, was fairly short-lived. The 1906 Sanborn Map says “BREWERY (OLD DILAPIDATED AND VACANT).”

*Eagle Brewing Company at 11th and Washington, in the former Fitzpatrick Mill – Golden Weekly Globe, May 1, 1893 – click to enlarge*

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!