Service Station Site

73 Years Ago
The September 6, 1951 Colorado Transcript announced the grand opening of a new Frontier service station at 10th and Washington. They planned a party for Saturday, September 8th, with “Cowboy entertainment” and balloons for the kids.

*Furniss Blacksmith Shop operated at 10th and Washington from 1914-1945 – Dan Abbott Collection –* *enlarge*

The service station had replaced Ed Furniss’s blacksmithing shop. Ed moved into that building in 1914. Beginning in 1922, he also operated a filling station on the site. Mr. Furniss retired in 1945, died in 1951 at the age of 80, and is buried in the Golden Cemetery.

Another blacksmith–Fred Bochatey–leased the shop beginning in 1945. Mr. Bochatey had been teaching blacksmithing at the Industrial School for several years. He died in 1949 at the age of 65 (and is also buried in the Golden Cemetery).

*10th & Washington, extracted from several Sanborn Insurance Maps*

That corner had seen many businesses over the years. The historic Sanborn Insurance Maps show that the site had been occupied by a Flour & Feed Store (1886), “Oil Etc.” (1890), a Meat Market (1895), Grocery Store (1906 and 1911), the blacksmith shop (on the 1919 map), and finally the Frontier service station.

The service station closed in the early '70s. The Golden Civic Foundation purchased the property in 1974, with hopes of turning it into a park. In 1975, they sold it to the City.

*Golden Chamber Tourist Information Booth at 10th & Washington – Golden Transcript, June 3, 1975*

That summer (1975), the City campground was closed. Visitors were allowed to camp in the parking lot at 10th and Washington. The amenities were less than ideal, but the sites were free, and visitors liked that. The Golden Chamber kept a Visitors Information booth on the property.

*Visitors Center in the Morning – Richard Lucken –* *enlarge*

In 1995, a community-wide effort began to raise funds for a permanent Visitors Center and home for the Golden Chamber. The funds were raised and the Golden Visitors Center was built in 1997.

The Visitors Center recently changed their name to "Golden Welcome Center" to encompass its role as a central gathering spot for locals as well as a place to greet visitors.

Golden Welcome Center
1010 Washington Avenue (map)
303-278-2282

Many thanks to the Golden Rotary Club for sponsoring Golden History Moments for the month of September.