Very Early on a Summer Morning
Photo by Richard Luckin
Click to enlarge
What's happening in Golden today?
Events for Monday, Aug. 11th
- All day - CURRENT EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUMS
- All day - Live Workouts with Community Center Pros
- All day - Golden History Tours
- 7-9AM - Clear Creek Corridor Cleanup
- 10AM-2PM - Doodle Monster: Kid's Intro to Sewing
- 10:15-10:45AM - Let's Dance - Registration Required
- 12-12:30PM - Mondays with the Mayor
- 5:30PM - GURA Board Meeting @ City Hall
- 6-7PM - Rooftop Tango @ The Eddy
- 6-9PM - Teach Me to Play! Mondays
- 6:30-8PM - Up2Us Golden Community Meeting
- 6:30PM - Movement Monday Running Club
For more information, click the item above or visit the Golden Today Calendar
The Original and Native Vegetation of Golden – Part 2
Native Plants of Golden
By Tom Schweich
Part 1 of this article appeared last week.
The names of some plants in Golden contain the words Louisiana or Missouri. For example, Silver Wormwood (Artemisia ludoviciana) in which “ludoviciana” is a Latinized form of Louisiana, or the Missouri Foxtail Cactus (Coryphantha missouriensis). These were not named for the states of Louisiana or Missouri, but for the Louisiana Territory which stretched from the Arkansas River north to Canada and included Golden, or for the Missouri River which was a major route of transportation in the territory.
Many of the plants in Golden were found by early explorers travelling on the Missouri River in the Louisiana Territory. The Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery of 1803 to 1806 resulted in the identification of about ten plants that occur naturally in Golden. Blue Flax (Linum lewisii) would be one that most people recognize. Another explorer was Thomas Nuttall, an Englishman who explored the North American continent, traveling the Missouri River in 1810-1811, the Arkansas in 1818-1820 and the Platte River by the Oregon Trail in 1834-1836. Twenty-two species of plants found in Golden were collected and named by Nuttall. The Plains Beebalm (Monarda pectinata) would an example of Nuttall discovery that is found in Golden.
The earliest scientific expedition that came close to Golden was the Major Stephen H. Long expedition of 1820, with Edwin James, M.D., botanist. They came up the South Platte River in 1820, camping July 4, 1820 at the mouth of Clear Creek. Attempting to reach the mountain front, they traveled up Clear Creek 8 miles (near Inspiration Point, Wadsworth and I-70) but were discouraged that the mountains did not appear to be any closer. The Colorado State Flower, the Rocky Mountain Columbine (Aquilegia caerula) was collected by Dr. James near Palmer Lake south of Golden.
The oldest plant collection from Golden with reliable data is Edward L. Greene’s collection of Purple Locoweed (Oxytropis lambertii) on May 1, 1870. Greene was an Episcopal minister who moved to Colorado in 1870. After taking an interest in botany in Colorado, Greene went on to become California’s first Professor of Botany.
Golden owns several open spaces that give us a glimpse of what Golden looked like long ago. In addition, Jefferson County Open Space preserves more land, though very little of the mixed-grass prairie that once filled Golden Valley. As our publicly owned lands come under pressure for recreational activities, the natural values can be overlooked. The city is working to define what we mean by open space and how our open space should be managed in the future. Toward that end a small group of Golden residents has formed Stewards of Golden Open Space and are working with the city on the Open Space Master Plan.
5:30PM GURA Board Meeting @ City Hall
- Meeting Packet:
- Watch the meeting streaming live starting at 5:30PM
- Attend the meeting @ City Hall Council Chambers - 911 10th Street - (map)
- Provide in-person comment during the meeting, at 5:30PM.
- Send email comments to gura@cityofgolden.net.
The meeting will be recorded and available to watch at your convenience on the Agendas and Meetings page on the City of Golden website. The Economic Development Manager is no longer with the City, so they are advertising for a replacement. In the meantime, Rick Muriby, the Community Development Director, is filling in.
Grant Requests:
- Lil' Ricci's Pizza, which is located in the West Colfax Urban Renewal Area, is requesting a grant of $2,499 to pay for 50% of the cost of a new air conditioning compressor.
- Fenway Clayworks, which is located in the Central Neighborhoods Urban Renewal Area, is requesting $3,871.70 to pay 50% of the cost of a new neon sign.
Affordable Housing Project at 17455 W. 16th (map):
Staff is advertising for a consulting firm that can study the area and declare it blighted, so they can use urban renewal to help finance the project.
Lena Gulch (map):
Works continues on this drainage project. The next step will be to build a retention pond on the Bachman property. After that, GURA plans to redesign that stretch of Colfax as a "complete street" (wide sidewalk and bike lane as well as automobile traffic lane). "Project still has many CDOT and federal approvals needed before construction can begin, so the start date is anticipated to be in the second half of 2027." The goal is for this to catalyze development along West Colfax.
Affordable Housing Project at 17200 West Colfax (map):
Staff has been meeting with Elevation Community Land Trust to discuss the finances need make this project possible.
Location:
City Hall Council Chambers
911 10th Street (Map)
Golden History: Two Great Maps
1873 Birdseye View Map of Golden
Click to enlarge
I often use excerpts from the 1882 Birdseye Map of Golden (the brown one, below) to show buildings from our early days. The one above is even earlier–1873!
The railroad was here by 1873, but you’ll notice that the School of Mines isn’t there yet. The large building on the Mines campus was the new Golden School–elementary through grade 12, all in the same building. A few years later a second school was built on the north side of the Creek, and after that they were called North School and South School. Both the North and South Schools were demolished in 1965.
Several of the buildings on the west side of Washington Avenue were there already–the Loveland Building (Old Capitol Grill), Atomic Cowboy at 11th & Washington, the Everett Building (now Goozell Yogurt), the Harrison Block (Creekside Jewelers). The Astor House appears on the 1873 map, as does Calvary Church and the Presbyterian Church (now Foothills Art Center).
Notice the mill race running parallel to the Creek on the north side. It powered two flour mills and a paper mill. The creekbed was much wider in the 1870s. Since that time, we’ve made the channel deeper and built up the land on both sides through downtown.
Enjoy the map!
Weather
Overnight: Mostly clear. Low around 55, with temperatures rising to around 58 overnight. West wind around 3 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 81. North northwest wind 3 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 17 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59. South wind around 7 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly Clear, 59°F
Tuesday: Sunny, 85°F
Tuesday Night: Partly Cloudy, 62°F
Wednesday: Mostly Sunny, 93°F
Wednesday Night: Partly Cloudy, 65°F
Thursday: Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, 93°F
Thursday Night: Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy, 65°F
Friday: Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, 92°F
Friday Night: Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy, 63°F
Saturday: Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, 87°F
Saturday Night: Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy, 62°F
Sunday: Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, 88°F
Supporters
Many thanks to the people and organizations who support What’s Happening in Golden? If you would like to support local news, please CLICK HERE!
Sponsors:
($100/month and up)
Buffalo Rose, Buglet Solar, Foothills Art Center, Golden Cultural Alliance, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center, The Golden Mill, Golden Chamber of Commerce, Golden History Tours, Miners Saloon, Golden Hayride Outpost, Unite Fitness, Tom Reiley, Michael Mason, Colorado Railroad Museum, and Goosetown Station
Friends:
($50-99.99/month or $550/yr)
Tall Pines Painting, Baby Doe’s Clothing, Goozell Yogurt & Coffee Paul Haseman, Donna Anderson, Carol & Doug Harwood, Stephanie Painter, Greg Poulos, Ann Norton & Jonathan Storer, Mary & Don Parker, Saré Merrigan, The Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, and Joy Brandt
Supporters:
($25-49.99/month or $250/yr)
Laura King and Scott Wilson, Bobby German and Alison McNally, Forrest Jones, Barry & Liz Bettis, Cheryl & Tom Schweich, Marjorie Sloan, Chris and Joyce Davell, Rick Flint, Forrest Jones, Cynthia Merrill Tamny, Stephen Pero, Meg Van Ness & Steve Kalasz, Steve & Karla Schaefer, Bud Rockhill, Steve Enger, Kristie Brice & Mike Schwartz, The Golden Hotel, Kurt & Janet Siegfried, Ella Lyons & Jeanne Fritch, Robert Thresher, and Tonie Mattox
Members:
($10-24.99/month or $110/yr)
Brad Miller & Julie Bartos, Holly Thomas, Jim and LouAnne Dale, Ann Pattison, Thomas Hoffman, Carol Abel, Brian Quarnstrom, Sandra Curran, Bobby German and Alison McNally, Kathy Smith, Karen Smith, Carlos & Nancy Bernal, Robert Storrs, Michele Sannes, Elaine Marolla, Dixie Termin & Ron Miller, E Tom Hughes, Crystal M Culbert, Patrick A. Madison, Alice Madison & Jim Kalivas, Deb Goeldner, Christopher Ball, 6th Chair Home Services, Dot & Eric Brownson, Rosemary Coffman, Emeline Paulson, Sandy Schneider, Mark and Cathy Pattridge, Cheryl G Leidich, Jen Rutter, Frani R Bickart, Jennings and Litz, Bill Sedgeley, Nancy Hughes, Justin L Wade, Kathi Eggers, Traci Case, Donna Owen, Leslie D Lutz, Karen Oxman, Catherine Skokan, Ross Fraser & KC Gilliland, Lynne Haigh, Elizabeth Hilliard, Frank Young & Terre Deegan-Young, Kathy Hirons & Jack Markin, Jess & Anthony Monasterio, Heather Duncan, Lee Ann & Pete Horneck, Carol Cameron, Cheryl Williamson, San Daugherty, Jim Garner, John and Carol McEncroe, the Golden Welcome Center, the Golden Transcript, Koshare Eagle, Ken and Colleen Krantz, Traci Neuman Lacey, Jo Barber, Jamie Cookinham, Kermit Shields, Meridee Cecil, Vicki Olson, Colleen & Michael Ramey, Nancy & Pete Torpey, Jax Baker, Simon Maybury, Rose McLaughlin, Cameron Chambers, Joyce Gravina, Patrick Klein, Barb Robie, and Mary Rains, Richard Caldwell, Janice Waring, Sam & Marilyn Baron, Carmen Johnson, Mary Eiberger, Kevin Nichols, Ed & Carol Freza, Laura and Curtis Moore, Ruth Hund, Shelley & Jerry Devitt, and Eileen Masterson
Followers:
($5-9.99/month)
Golden Community Garden, Lora Haimes, Mariane Erickson, J.J. Fraser, Mel Perkins, Bob Hamilton, Kim Linton, Steve Stevens, Vicki Olson, Emily Kurzinski, Nanette Johnson, and Peyton Gibson
