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Golden Eye Candy – Bud Rockhill – Yuletide Cyclist – click to enlarge

Coronavirus

Jeffco Public Health is closed until Monday, so there will be no updates on the stats. The two testing sites are:

Mines COVID Testing | Jeffco Fairgrounds COVID Testing


Virtual Golden

Programming on the City’s public access TV station:
2PM
(repeated at 8PM) A Christmas Card from the Jefferson Symphony
2:30PM A Christmas Carol (1951 version, with Alastair Sim as Scrooge)
4PM Santa Claus (1959)
6PM Scrooge: The Musical (1970)

Miners Alley Playhouse:
Coronavirus Cafe Holiday Special
A Christmas Carol
The Twelve Dates of Christmas
A Christmas Carol (from Broadway)


Real World Golden

Clear Creek Trail – Chris Davell – click to enlarge

Winter Wonderland Walks + Golden’s Holiday Light Display
Golden’s impressive holiday lights transform the charming town into a winter wonderland with downtown, the Clear Creek Walking Path, Golden History Park, Parfet Park and the Visitors Center spectacularly illuminated with an estimated 45,000 bulbs. A single giant evergreen tree in front of the Golden Visitors Center is wrapped in approximately 5,000 lights all on its own. Start a new family tradition and bundle up, pick up hot cocoa at a Golden coffee shop, and enjoy an evening walk with holiday lights reflecting in the icy waters of Clear Creek and in the downtown shop windows.

You could pay $21 to see the lights at the Botanic Gardens, $18 to see Zoo Lights, or $30/car to see the light show at Bandimere Speedway–or you could take a walk along the Creek in Golden. For free.


Christmas Day Church Services

Calvary Episcopal Church
Christmas at Home
Are you going to be at home by yourself this Christmas? Calvary is hosting an online gathering for you, Christmas Day at 2pm via Zoom. Follow this link: calvarygolden.net/athome. Linda Smith will host. If you run into a problem, contact her at (720) 621-3142 or director.linda@gmail.com.

Jefferson Unitarian Church
10AM (Christmas Day) Christmas in Colorado Service

St. Joseph Catholic Church


Golden History Moment

Early photo of Washington Avenue – windows brightened and street darkened to make it a night scene – Loveland’s Hall is the building on the left – click to enlarge

Golden City was only six months old when we celebrated our first Christmas in December of 1859. William Loveland held a ball in his new building, which had a store on the first floor and a large open hall on the second, for use in public meetings. You may recall that Loveland’s first store building was on the site of our current pocket park, which is called Loveland Gardens.

George West’s first newspaper, The Western Mountaineer, described the event in the December 28, 1859 edition.

There was a large company present, including a greater number of ladies than we have seen together in the Territory before, on any occasion. There were several ladies and gentlemen present from Denver and Auraria, Boulder, Arapahoe and other places, in all fifty couples….

The Hall, which is yet in an unfinished state, was elaborately trimmed with evergreens, tastefully arranged in festoons and arches, and had a very fine effect.

The Music, by McDuffee and Ackley, was superior….

The Supper, which was provided by Mr. Sm. J. McKay. His table was provided with all the delicacies that could possibly be obtained in the country…..

In short, the whole affair was one of unalloyed pleasure. The company separated at an early hour (in the morning) and at the next ball at Loveland’s may we be there to see!

Dennis Potter gave a lecture called “The Skirt Who Wore Men’s Clothes” for the Golden History Museum, and a significant part of his story happens on the very night of this ball. I’ve watched the talk several times, and recommend it.

Merry Christmas, Golden!


Many thanks to the Golden History Museum for providing the online cache of historic Western Mountaineers and for recording Dennis’s lecture!.

Highlights