Spring Kayaking and the Golden Paper Mill

Looking east on Clear Creek in Golden Colorado. Two kayakers are padding in very clear, shallow water. — *Golden Eye Candy – Andi Pearson – Paddling in Clear, Shallow Water – enlarge*

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN GOLDEN TODAY?

6-6:55AM Dynamic Circuit (Virtual)
8:30-9:30AM Power Training (Virtual)
10-10:55AM All Levels Yoga (Virtual)
10-12PM DeLong Park Weed Busters @ DeLong Park
10AM, 1PM, and 4PM Wild West Walking Tour
10AM, 1PM, and 4PM Wild West Short Tour
10:15-10:45AM Let’s Dance @ Golden Library
12-12:30PM Mondays with Mayor Weinberg (Virtual)
2-3PM Active Minds Mondays (Virtual)
4-4:30PM Kids Martial Arts Class (Virtual)
4-9PM Dine Back Night: Girls with Books South Sudan @ Golden Mill
5-8PM Monday Market @ Cannonball Creek Brewing
6:30PM Karaoke Night @ Golden High School

See the complete calendar of events.

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TRIVIA

7-8PM Colorado Trivia League @ Morris & Mae

GOLDEN HISTORY MOMENT

*The Golden Paper Mill, as shown in the 1893 Golden Globe Industrial Edition*

156 Years Ago
The May 1, 1867 Colorado Transcript announced that construction would soon begin on a paper mill. The owners hoped to have the mill in operation by early July.

They expected to begin by producing lower grade paper, include newsprint, wrapping paper, and “cartridge paper.” They hoped to eventually move on to writing paper. The same edition included an advertisement offering to buy clean rags for use in making paper. Since trees were scarce in this region, the mill also used straw in the manufacturing process.

*Excerpt from the 1886 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map of Golden Colorado. This map shows the flume that originally powered both the paper mill and the flour mill.*

The mill was originally powered by water diverted from Clear Creek. This proved to be an unreliable power source, so the mill owners later installed a coal-powered boiler.

*Miners Mesa apartments (map) on the site of the Golden Paper Mill.*

The Golden Paper Mill operated until 1900. That property is now occupied by the Miners Mesa apartments.

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!