For a historian wanting to learn about Golden’s early businesses, the first decade of the 20th century was a golden age. Prior to that time, the Transcript consisted mostly of dense text in tiny fonts. In the early 1900s, display ads were assuming a bigger role in the paper. By the 19-teens, the paper was choked with national (non-local) business advertising–particularly patent medicines–but in 1903 many Golden businesses were advertising in the Transcript.
The July 23rd, 1903 Colorado Transcript is full of ads for merchants I’ve written about in previous history articles. In 1903, Ford Street had some substantial commercial buildings, almost rivaling Washington Avenue as a shopping district.
Ford St.
1 – Sarell Hardware was on Ford Street at that time. They later moved to Washington Avenue. In the 1940s, that business was purchased by Joe & Ruby Meyer and became Meyer Hardware.
2 – Fromhart & Thomas Blacksmithing & Wagon Repairing stood on the southeast corner of 12th & Ford.
3 – The Golden Milling Company (“A Flour of Quality”) was precisely where the Golden Mill stands today, on Ford Street at Clear Creek.
Washington Avenue
4 – Soren Sorenson’s Grocery, Wade Clothing, and O.T. Ellis were all located in the Opera House Block (now Ace Hi Tavern).
5 – Brown’s Dry Goods (“Muslin Underwear”) was located in the Harrison Block, now Del’s Tonsorial Parlor.
6 – R. Broad Jr.‘s store occupied the Everett Block at 12th and Washington–now Goozell Yogurt.
7 – The Woods-Rubey Bank was on the southeast corner of 12th and Washington–now Golden Goods toy store.
8 – Linder Hardware and Gallinger-Root Drug Co. were located in the Linder Block on the northeast corner of 13th and Washington
9 – Koenig Mercantile was in the Loveland Building at 12th and Washington–now the Old Capitol Grill.
10 – The Big Red Boot occupied a wooden building in the spot now occupied by Baby Doe’s Clothing.
11 – The Osborne Market was at 1106 Washington, now being remodeled
Other Locations
Rock Flour Mills – 9th and Cheyenne.
Zilligan & Olmsted – The name (C.& S. Market) indicates that this business may have been in or near the Goosetown neighborhood, near the roundhouse and other railroad buildings. C.&S. stood for Colorado & Southern–the railroad that served Golden at that time.
Thanks to the Golden History Museum for funding the online collection of historic newspapers.
