Melting Snow, Growing Pandemic, and Clothing from the ’70s to the ’60s

November 25, 2020

Golden Eye Candy – Robert Saieg – Snow Capped Clear Creek – Late Afternoon – click to enlarge

Coronavirus/COVID-19


Jefferson County is at Level Red, “Severe Risk.” Learn more….

Public Health References
CDC * Colorado * Jefferson County * City of Golden

Here’s the most recent Coronavirus report from Jeffco Public Health’s Case Summary Page:

Cases in Jeffco – Mon: 18,197 | Tues: 18,563 (+366)
Deaths in Jeffco –
Mon: 425 | Tues: 428 (+3)
Ever Hospitalized in Jeffco –
Mon: 1,126 | Tues: 1,163 (currently 179) (+37)
Recovered –
Mon: 13,173 | Tues: 13,803 (+630)
Known Cases in Golden –
Mon: 644 | not updated

Mines COVID Testing | Jeffco Fairgrounds COVID Testing | School of Mines COVID-19 case page. | Masks are required | City and County fire restrictions | Sign up for exposure notifications.


Virtual Golden

8:30-9:30AM Virtual Power Training
10:15AM Baby Time with the Library
10-11:30AM Everything Dinosaur Talk – Pachycephalosaurs


Real World Golden

9AM Golden Walks
10AM-5PM Holiday Art Market at Foothills Art Center – reserve a time
3:30-4:30PM Vaccine, License & Microship Clinic @ Foothills Animal Shelter


Golden History Moment


McKeehen’s (1943-1964) and Hertel’s (1906-1943) advertisements from the Colorado Transcript – click to enlarge

McKeehen’s (1943-1964) – 21 Years
Yesterday, I got sucked into a vortex of tracing the genealogy of a business. McKeehen’s Clothing Company operated at 1222 Washington Avenue (map) for 21 years. That’s a long run for a store, but McKeehen’s predecessor, Hertel’s Clothing Store, beat that record with a 37 year run.

Hertel Clothing (1906-1943)
Luther Hertel purchased the Wade Clothing Store in 1906. The business was at that time operating in the Opera House Block (map). Mr. Hertel was a gifted merchandiser, and by 1917, he needed a bigger space. Nick Koenig, who ran the grocery store in the Loveland Block (map) built a new building, specifically designed to rent to Hertel Clothing, at 1222 Washington–immediately south of the Opera House Block.


Advertisement from the Colorado Transcript, May 5, 1904

Wade Clothing (1882-1906) – 24 Years
Hertel’s predecessor, Wade Clothing, opened in 1882 and ran until Hertel purchased the business in 1906 (24 years). Wade had purchased the store from Thomas Ward.

Ward Clothing, in the 1400 block of Washington Avenue – click to enlarge

Thomas Ward Clothing (1872-1882) – 10 Years
Ward Clothing was a pioneer-era store. Thomas Ward was working for the “Jefferson Coal & Mining Company” store in 1872 when he decided the buy the business.


The Jefferson Coal and Mining Company, shown in this photo belonging to the Golden Landmarks Association, and in the advertisement from the February 28, 1872 Colorado Transcript – click to enlarge

Jefferson Coal and Mining Company (1872) – 1 Year
The Jefferson Coal and Mining Company store carried a wide variety of merchandise–from groceries, to clothing, to housewares–as was typical of a frontier store. Ward must have decided that the real money was in the clothing part of the business, because he soon focused the store on clothing.