While not officially under a blackout during World War II, Golden was fairly dark through the war years. One reason was general wartime thrift. Citizens believed that they should conserve electricity so it could be used “for the war effort.” After a decade of Depression, conservation came naturally to Americans.
A second reason for the dark nights was that Golden had few streetlights: there were lights downtown, but not many in the residential neighborhoods. A third reason was an epidemic of people vandalizing streetlights during the War. The power company repeatedly begged people to stop targeting the lights because it was so hard to get replacement bulbs.
79 Years Ago
The December 6, 1945 Colorado Transcript, with the War finally over, ran an editorial encouraging citizens to turn on their porch lights during the month of December.
…there is nothing more beautiful than to see the lights of a great city—they mean peace, life, business and prosperity. It looks as if Golden is going to have to skip its colored lights on the Avenue again this year —but what every loyal citizen could do —and it wouldn’t cost much either, only about 2 or 3 cents a week —the front porch light at every home could be turned on every night from now until New Year’s. This one light on every porch at every home would bring Christmas cheer and goodwill to all Golden people, and would be a welcoming season’s greeting to all those who chanced to pass this way, or who look down on our little city from the mountain top.
