Rising Water and Memorial Day

Clear Creek running high, spilling over rocks, with Mount Zion in the background — *Golden Eye Candy – Chris Davell – Spring Runoff – enlarge*

*Data from the USGS shows that the Creek is running faster (left graph) and higher (right graph) than it was this time last year – enlarge*

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN GOLDEN TODAY?

TL - Man in veteran's cap seated; TR - Pipe and drum corps; BL - Group of men in red Marine veteran's caps; BR - Single piper with a group of Marines in uniform, carrying flags and rifles — *Top row: VFW and American Legion event in the Cemetery Bottom row: Marines event at the US Marines Memorial – enlarge*

6-6:55AM Dynamic Circuit (Virtual)
8:30-9:30AM Power Training (Virtual)

11AM-12PM Memorial Day Ceremony @ Golden Cemetery (map)
The Golden VFW Post 4171 will honor our fallen warriors on Memorial Day at Golden Cemetery.

2PM Memorial Day Ceremony @ The Marine Corps Memorial (map)
Please arrive by 1:30PM
Guest Speaker: Sergeant Major James K. Porterfield, USMC – Program

What you’ll need: bring your own chairs if you are unable to stand for more than 30 minutes without assistance. We don’t always have chairs available. Parking for this event is generously offered by the Home Depot in the shopping area south of the Memorial.

SEE THE COMPLETE CALENDAR OF EVENTS

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is line.jpg

LIVE MUSIC

3-6PM Abby Brown@ Golden Mill
3PM Mudpuppy @ Over Yonder

4-7PM Bunny Blake @ Buffalo Rose (Sky Bar Stage)

TRIVIA

7-8PM Colorado Trivia League @ Morris & Mae

GOLDEN HISTORY MOMENT

106 Years Ago
The May 31, 1917 Colorado Transcript captured Golden at a turning point. The members of the pioneer era were fast dying out, and the 20th century was coming on with a vengeance: on April 6 of that year, President Wilson had asked Congress to commit America to “a war to end all wars” (World War I).

*Two photos from the Golden History Museum collection – Left, George West, Civil War, and Right, Sam Baker, World War I*

The issue included an article about how Memorial Day had been observed by the remaining veterans of the Civil War (“With thinned ranks and stepping a little more feebly than last year, the few veterans remaining of the once proud company…”). That article ended with bracing talk of the next war, praising the patriotic young men who had signed up to serve.

Patriotic or not, the men who had not signed up might still be drafted. The town was planning a parade for Registration Day, when every man in the county between 18 and 30 would be required to register. There were already 300 recruits in town, ready to begin training.

In the meantime, the local bank bought a large advertisement, urging citizens of German birth to forego expressions of loyalty to the fatherland. Other articles described “Wonderful Patriotic Sermon Delivered by Rector of Golden Calvary Church” while warning young men not to skip college in favor of the military: “Need College Men to Develop Resources.”

On the other hand, the paper included a political cartoon showing Uncle Sam on horseback in cavalry attire, knocking down a suspiciously Kaiser-looking guy who holds a sign about the “Volunteer System.” Uncle Sam has a pennant on his rifle, supporting “Selective Conscription” (the draft).

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!