Plein Air Painting, R&B, and a Glorious Day for the Railroad

*Golden Eye Candy – Castle Rock and a Deep Blue Sky – Chris Davell – 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:

School of Mines COVID-19 case page. | Masks are required. | City and County fire restrictions are in place. | CLEAR CREEK IS NOW OPEN.

Virtual Golden

10AM-1PM Color and Composition with the Quilt Museum
7:30PM Miners Alley Playhouse Quarantine Cabaret – A Tribute to R&B Legend Ruth Brown

Real World Golden

*Golden Farmers Market – Covid-safe for 2020! – Frank Hanou – click to enlarge*

8AM-1PM Golden Farmers Market
9AM-2PM Brunch at the Rose – Lucas Wolf will be playing from 11AM-2PM
9AM Vinyasa Yoga in Lions Park with Gabriela Ferrat
9AM Yoga in Parfet Park with Pranatonic
10AM-2PM Homestead Open House at the Golden History Park

10AM-5PM Plein Air Paint Out – RSVP Here
Open Studio at Foothills Art Center is hosting a Plein Air paint-out September 26 and 27. Artists of all ages and skill levels are invited to participate. This is a wonderful opportunity to paint with other artists. There will not be a competition, no prizes, and no formal show, but there may be exhibition and sales opportunities at independent locations in Golden after the event.

It is free to participate and artists do not have to be members of either Open Studio or FAC. COVID rules in place at the time need to be followed. Once registrations are received, we will contact you to confirm participation and provide additional information.

While you may create at any outdoor location you choose, we will provide meeting places each day.

September 26 at Buffalo Bill’s Grave
September 27 at White Ash Mine Park

Live Music:
1PM Zepp11 at Dirty Dogs Roadhouse
4PM Funk It Up at Wrigley’s
6PM Live Music Out Front at Ace Hi Tavern

Golden History Moment

*Colorado Central Railroad Engine #4 – Dan Abbott collection – click to enlarge*

150 Years Ago
On September 26, 1870 Golden celebrated the arrival of the Colorado Central Railroad. The Transcript waxed poetic:

(The day) …dawned as lovely as ever smiled upon the world. Not a cloud could be seen in the heavens, and the air was as balmy as early spring. Long before the “dapp’d grey coursers of the morn” pranced up the smiled east our beautiful valley was awakened by sounds of bursting torpedoes and rattling of musketry. As the sun cast its first bright rays upon the mountain tops, the church bells rang out their cheerful peals, and the different locomotives at the depot took up the refrain with their shrill whistles and bells, and the whole valley was filled with rejoicing and gladness.

The first train arrived from Denver at 8AM, and the second arrived at 1PM. Those who arrived on that train reported that thousands had been left at the depot in Denver because there wasn’t room to board. The train was sent back to collect more people. The Transcript estimated that about 4,000 people participated in the party.

At about 10AM, wagon loads of celebrants from Gilpin County arrived. They were excited, because the next phase of building would extend the line to Blackhawk, where it would serve their gold mines.

The ceremony started at 3PM. William Loveland, who had been working toward this day for six years, presented gold and silver spikes to dignitaries, who drove them into place, signifying the completion of the road. The gold spike had been provided by citizens of Gilpin County (gold mines) and the silver spike was furnished by a citizen of Georgetown (silver mines).

There were many flowery speeches. Telegrams of congratulation were read from President Grant, other railroads, and major cities. Local dignitaries responded to the telegrams with prose such as “Colorado, the brightest star in the Territorial galaxy.”

*Colorado Central Railroad Engine #5 – Dan Abbott collection – click to enlarge*

In the next issue of the Colorado Transcript, George West (the Owner/Publisher) could barely contain his enthusiasm and devoted many columns of tiny text to detailed descriptions of the event. At last, he reluctantly returned to other news topics. Suddenly, in the midst of the “Local Matters” section, another burst of excitement erupted, and he wrote my favorite paragraph in 154 years of Transcript articles:

We have no word of apology for the amount of space occupied this week by railroad matters. We feel good. In fact, we feel like a shooting star. Our railroad is finished and we are all hunky-dory.

Many 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!