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Cemetery Tour, Growth in COVID Cases, Zoning Code Changes, Miners Strike, Railroads, and Humble Beginnings

Golden Cemetery in Autumn – Saoirse Charis-Graves – click to enlarge

Speaking of the Cemetery…

I believe I sent my self-guided Golden Cemetery Tour to everyone who requested it. If I missed you, or if you didn’t ask earlier but would like one, let me know.


Coronavirus/COVID-19

COVID cases are spiking in Jefferson County, so the County Health Department has launched a public service announcement to remind people how to keep themselves and others safe: Together We Go Forward.

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

JCPHD updates these numbers Monday through Friday at about 3 PM. Here’s the most recent Coronavirus report from Jeffco Public Health’s Case Summary Page:

Cases in Jeffco – Tues: 8566 | Weds: 8745 (+179)
Deaths in Jeffco – Tues: 309 | Weds: 314 (+5)
Ever Hospitalized in Jeffco – Tues: 692 | Weds: 698 (currently 49) (+6)
Recovered – Tues: 6848 | Weds: 6945 (+97)
Known Cases in Golden – Tues: 285 | Weds: 294 (+9)

School of Mines COVID-19 case page. | Masks are required. | City and County fire restrictions are in place.


Monthly Appeal

Many thanks to the people who sponsored this email for the month of October. If you find this daily newsletter valuable, interesting, or fun, please consider sponsoring us for the month of November–or contributing a small amount on a monthly basis! Click here to find out how.


Virtual Golden

10:15AM Preschool Time with the Library

5PM City of Golden Code Rewrite Zoning Update
A team of consultants has been reviewing Golden’s zoning code with the plan to rewrite it to accommodate new goals. These are “issues” that the team has been asked to address:

Community Character – some older properties do not comply with the current code because their lots are too small, and some new buildings are too large to blend with surrounding homes.
Review Process – Developers find the intent of the code to be unclear, so they need to go through a lengthy site development process.
Navigation – Developers find the current code too confusing and hard to use. It needs to be made clearer.
Parking – Current parking requirements impede business development.
Housing Affordabilty – The team will explore ways to make Golden housing more affordable by changing the zoning code to accommodate the housing needs of the city.

You can sign up to participate (ask questions) in the meeting, or just watch it on the website. Learn more about this project.

6PM The Other June Six – A Story about the 1894 Cripple Creek Miners’ Strike (Golden History Museum)
Cripple Creek, Colorado, circa 1900, embodied American business. Mine owners attempted to take immense riches from the ground by investing enormous capital to fund expensive machinery, industrial treatment, and men to pull the ore and run the machines. Laborers and owners shared some interests but often disagreed over pay, hours, safety, and management practices. Inevitable frustrations mounted on both sides until finally, in 1894, laborers in the Western Federation of Miners fought the Cripple Creek Mine Owners Association. This struggle was ruthless and bloody with numerous miners and other citizens caught in the melee. Join presenter Stan Moore in this presentation about the Cripple Creek miners’ strike, which is based on his historical novel Mister Hamlin’s List. This is a virtual event. Register on eventbrite.

6:30PM Community Listening Session with Golden Police
This is a function of Golden United’s Anti-Racism Collective. Registration is required to participate in this event.

6:30PM Conversations about Ted Rose
Join the Center for Railroad Photography & Art and the Colorado Railroad Museum as we immerse ourselves in a discussion focusing on the photography and art of Ted Rose. This free virtual program is presented in conjunction with the Museum’s current exhibit from the Center: Railroads and the American Industrial Landscape: Ted Rose Paintings and Photographs, which runs now through December 31st. Learn more and register….


Real World Golden

7PM Golden Ghost Tour and Pub Crawl

Live Music:
7PM
 Chris Kroger at Golden Moon Speakeasy
8PM Karaoke at Rock Rest Lodge


Golden History Moment

Photo of the Halloween Parade from Mitchell Elementary Golden Transcript, November 1, 1972 – click to enlarge

In non-pandemic years, Golden hosts an amazing Halloween celebration in the historic downtown. I have been told that it all started when the children from Mitchell Elementary (which used to be located downtown) began an annual tradition of parading along Washington Avenue, so they could show off their Halloween costumes. I wondered how long this had been going on, so I did some research. This was the first reference I could find:

49 Years Ago
HERE’S SOMETHING SPECIAL for the Avenue–the boys and girls of Mitchell Elementary School will parade along the Avenue in their Hallowe’en costumes Friday–tomorrow–between one and two o’clock. Won’t that be a sight? You know how great it is for children to dress up–and then to have the opportunity to show off those costumes in a parade. Come on down if you want to see this something special.
October 28, 1971 Golden Transcript

From that humble beginning, the event grew and grew and grew. At some point, the other elementary schools (Johnson/Shelton and Pleasant View) were invited.

Various years of Golden’s Halloween celebrations – click to enlarge

I’ve been attending and photographing the event since the 1990s, and in that time, I’ve seen the addition of the Mines Band, a cappella groups, and flash mob dances. The City now (very wisely) closes the street for the two-hour event.

Halloween has become quite expensive for the downtown merchants, but there is no denying that the event is cute as the dickens. Let’s hope for next year!

Highlights