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: 3383 | Weds: 3458
Deaths in Jeffco – Tues: 219 | Weds: 219
Ever Hospitalized in Jeffco – Tues: 457 | Weds: 461 (currently 23)
Recovered – Tues: 2905 | Weds: 2953
Known Cases in Golden – Tues: 138 | Weds: 140
Mask Rules:
Masks are required in public indoor spaces (stores, etc.) state-wide.
Masks are also required in public outdoor spaces (parks, trails) in Golden, unless you can maintain a distance of six feet from other people.
The Safer at Home and in the Vast, Great Outdoors protocol is in effect statewide. City and County fire restrictions are in place.
Virtual Golden
9-10AM Golden Walks
10:15-11:15AM Preschool Time with the Library
6PM American Alpine Club Presents Clubhouse Live: Final Farewell for Phil Powers
6-7PM The Bad Old Days of Colorado: Untold Stories of the Wild West – Register Here – Free for Museum Members, $10 for Non-Members
6:30PM City Council Regular Business Meeting
The “Consent Agenda” always contains items considered uncontroversial and not needing discussion. This week, it includes two items. The first is an ordinance designating the Astor House as a Local Historic Landmark (public hearing and vote scheduled for August 13th). The second is a resolution authorizing the transfer of our annual affordable housing funds ($1,092,993) to Foothills Regional Housing (formerly Jefferson County Housing Authority). This organization runs Canyon Point near the rec center, Lewis Court at 23rd and Jackson, and is about to build a new project at 24th and Jackson.
One item that was removed from the Consent Agenda, so Council could discuss it, is a resolution acknowledging “fulfillment and satisfaction of the conditions of Ordinance 2065.” This was the deal we struck with the School of Mines in 2017, where we approved their new parking garage at 1400 maple Street in exchange for their opening 14th Street between Illinois & Maple for traffic. As of last night, the new piece of 14th Street was under construction but not yet open.
Council will hear the 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, followed by our 2nd 2020 Quarter Financial Update.
They will discuss an ordinance regarding face coverings. They passed an emergency ordinance on July 9th, saying that masks are required in public spaces, both indoors and out, in Golden. Tonight’s discussion will cover the more-permanent ordinance that’s designed to replace the emergency ordinance. Council may choose to change the terms. Since July 9th, Jefferson County has passed its own mask rule, then the state passed one, then the County withdrew theirs. It’s a lot to keep up with! Council’s discussion tonight concerns an ordinance that they will consider on August 13th.
Next Steps for the Astor House
In the early 1970s, the City planned to demolish the Astor House (12th and Arapahoe) to provide more downtown parking. Citizens objected and worked to give the old building a facelift. After a lengthy debate and a vote by the citizens, the building was saved. It served as a museum for the next 40 years. A few years ago, the city closed the building to do some work on the foundation. While it was closed, they decided to eliminate the museum and sold most of the furnishings, then gutted the building. It currently lacks interior walls and plumbing.
Last year, the City decided that they wanted the building “off the books,” and planned to sell the Astor House. There was considerable public concern about this, because the structure was not protected from demolition. Citizens feared that new owners would decide they could make more money by demolishing the 1867 building and replacing it with something bigger. The Historic Landmark ordinance mentioned in tonight’s consent agenda is designed to permanently protect the building. In the meantime, two local non-profit organizations (Foothills Art Center and the Golden Civic Foundation) have proposed taking a long-term lease on the building and using it for a public purpose.
The memo regarding this item suggests that they also accept proposals from for-profit entities and non-Golden non-profits. This agenda item will provide Council with an opportunity to decide how they should evaluate any proposals they might receive.
Council will then have an Introductory Discussion of Historic Preservation Easement for the Astor House. This is the item mentioned in the consent agenda. The public hearing won’t be held until August 13th, but this will give them an initial look at the easement process.
The City Manager will provide an update on the City’s responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. They seem to have reached an accord with the tubers.
The Deputy City Manager will give an update on the Heart of Golden Project. This is the plan to upgrade the creekfront, incorporate the newly purchased Coors property on the east side of Ford Street, and build a new City Hall. This project has slowed during the COVID shutdown–due to the inability to have public meetings as well as general concern about incurring new debt while sales tax revenue is down–but it has not stopped.
Real World Golden
12-6PM Raise a Pint, Lend a Hand
Fundraiser for Real Colorado EDGE Soccer Club at Holiday Brewing (map)
Live Music:
5PM Bike Night at Dirty Dogs Roadhouse
8PM Karaoke at Rock Rest Lodge
FRIDAY PREVIEW
The Hazel Miller Band will be performing at the Buffalo Rose tomorrow night.
Golden History Moment
The Eagle Corral was a going concern even before the Colorado Transcript published its first issue on December 19, 1866. In fact, that first issue of the Transcript announced a change in ownership:
Having taken the Eagle Corral, I am now prepared to accommodate the traveling public in the best manner and at the lowest prices. I will always keep a good supply of Hay, Grain and Feed. — George Hansbrough
The Eagle Corral also provided room and board for many horses. Over its considerable lifespan, the business had several different owners:
1872 – Fred Buckman
1872 – Bailey Brothers
1879 – Smith & Crisman
1885 – Bind & Ward
1893 – Vogel & Niedermeyer
1894 -Vogel & Churches
1901 – Arnold & Olmstead
1905 – Frank Keilbach
1906 – Herman Rathmann
1914 – Guy Buckman
1920 -H.M. Hewins
1920 -Ferguson
The business had two notable fires–one in 1877, in which several small buildings and several tons of baled hay were destroyed, and one in 1921, in which the roof and “a considerable amount of grain and flour” burned. Fortunately, the adjacent hay shed was not damaged. More importantly, the adjacent residence containing the proprietor’s wife and three children was saved, thanks to the Golden Fire Department.
In 1914, owner Herman Rathmann had an unsolicited visit from a hobo:
City Marshal Scott responded to a “riot call” from the Eagle Corral Saturday night, and found a hobo there standing off the proprietor and several Guy Hill gentlemen, after the latter had tried to force the gentleman of the road to depart in peace. Scott gave the man a night’s rest in sheriff Dennis’ new hotel, and in the morning he was given his choice of leaving Golden or working out a thirty day sentence on the streets. He concluded that Golden’s streets are in good condition now, and left hastily for a sojourn in other parts. — Colorado Transcript, January 29, 1914
By 1920, the town was very interested in building a new high school. This was only partly because the current schools were over-crowded; it was also seen as a way to upgrade the town overall. This was the first year of the Chamber of Commerce’s existence, and they were looking at several ways to modernize and generally improve Golden. Paving the streets and building a new, modern high school were seen as two key steps.
There was a lengthy, heated argument between people who lived on the north and south sides of the Creek. The north side had traditionally been more industrial and blue collar, while the south side, with the shopping district, the Courthouse, and the School of Mines, considered itself more elite. Northsiders, frankly, were ready to gentrify. They campaigned hard, got their candidate elected to the school board, and were able to claim the planned high school.
The next argument was whether the school should be on the south side of 10th Street, which people were already earmarking for a future park (it would become Parfet Park), or the north side of 10th Street–the Eagle Corral. A 1922 letter to the editor said the corral “has been an eyesore to the city for years.” Others were more polite, but quietly agreed that a business that involved manure had no place on Golden’s main thoroughfare.
The School District bought the property and dismantled the store, corral, and storage barns. The Ferguson family’s house was moved to 7th Street in 1922 and the new High School was built on the former location of the Eagle Corral in 1924.
Many thanks to the Golden History Museum for providing the online cache of historic Transcripts, and many thanks to the Golden Transcript for documenting our history since 1866!
