158 Years Ago
The July 3, 1867 Colorado Transcript reported that every bridge across Clear Creek east of Golden was impassable because of spring run-off.
BE CAUTIOUS–Several accidents to men and teams have occurred recently from attempts to cross Clear Creek below here. Mr. Jim Boyd informs us that on Monday last while attempt to cross at Wolff’s ford, Mr. Jacob Shank lost a valuable span of horses, a wagon, and narrowly escaped being drowned himself. Young John Wolff was near being drowned at the same place, while attempting to cross on horseback. Ed. Althause lost the bed and hind wheels of his wagon, escaping with his horses with great difficulty. People should be exceedingly cautious in venturing into this rushing stream in its present state.
Colorado Transcript – July 3, 1867
Bridges of the pioneer era tended to be flimsy, and residents half-expected them to fail. The previous week, the editor had complained of having to walk to the Ford Street bridge to get to the post office and saloons, because the Washington Avenue bridge had been washed out.
This excellent stream for water-power has been considerably on the rampage for a week or more, since the hot sun has commenced melting the deep snows upon the Range. The place that knew the bridge across it at Washington Avenue knows it no more. Most of the planking and timbers had been removed in anticipation of the event, which transpired on last Wednesday night. We find it extremely inconvenient to pass around by the Ford street bridge to find our way to Cheney's, Garborinos and the P.O.
Colorado Transcript - June 26, 1867
Golden has been through a number of bridges in the past 166 years, and each one has been improvement over the last, with not only sturdier materials, but more clearance above the flow and more space between the bridge supports, so branches and other flotsam don’t accumulate.
