Lariat Loop, Early Summer
Photo by Bud Rockhill
What's happening in Golden today?
Events for Monday, Jun. 10th
- All day - CURRENT EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUMS
- All day - Live Workouts with Community Center Pros
- All day - Golden History Tours
- 10:15-10:45AM - Let's Dance
- 12-12:30PM - Mondays with the Mayor
- 12-4PM - Stitch'n B*tch
- 5:30PM - GURA Board Meeting
- 5:30-8PM - The Principles of Artistic Expression
- 6-9PM - Teach Me to Play! Mondays
- 7-9PM - Taylor Swift Themed Trivia Night
For more information, click the item above or visit the Golden Today Calendar
Submersion of the Cutthroat
The third trout is submerged up to his back and his fin - photo by Jeremy Keller
At this time of the year, it's always interesting to watch the water rising in the Creek. This happens because the snow is melting in the high country and the run-off makes its way down to Clear Creek. One of my favorite ways to measure the water level is by watching Pat Madison's bronze trout statues--located below Parfet Park, next to the Creek--slowly submerge.
Pat created that school of fish (collectively titled "Return of the Cutthroat") to celebrate the restoration of Clear Creek as a fishing stream, after more than a century of fish-killing levels of pollution. You can learn more about the grouping and listen to Pat describe them in this one minute video.
The third fish in the group is the lowest, and the first to be touched by the rising water. When Jeremy Keller sent me this photo yesterday, the back and dorsal fin of that third trout were still above water. If the visit the Creek today, check to see whether any more of that fish has gone under.
The lower tier of the Rotary Amphitheater (behind the Visitors Center) is also under water now.
The usually clear and placid Creek--with just enough current to be fun for tubers--is now brown with churned soil and moving downstream at a frightening clip. The Jeffco Sheriff has closed the Creek to tubers and swimmers. Only kayakers are allowed at this time.
You can track the depth of the water by checking the USGS page for Golden, Colorado.
5:30PM GURA Meeting @ City Hall
Copper Gold Expected closing date is June 17th
When GURA (Golden Urban Renewal Authority) operated in the historic downtown area, they offered small business grants to businesses and property owners in the URA area. They discontinued the grants when they moved out to other areas, including Parfet-Briarwood (8th Street), the Central Neighborhoods (business area near Natural Grocers), and West Colfax. Tonight, the GURA board will discuss offering grants once again.
The new expected date for sale of the Copper Gold Apartments (former Golden Motel) (map) to the Housing Authority is June 17th. This is of interest to GURA, both because the property is located in a GURA district and because GURA contributed $400,000 toward the purchase of the property. The property will be used as affordable housing and to "to transition Golden's unhoused residents into permanent housing." The Housing Authority plans to redevelop the property into a taller, denser project, similar to their "Flats on Ford" across the Street.
The community garden behind Natural Grocers has been cleaned up and compost has been added. Most of the plots have been assigned.
Staff has been working with the owners of 17270 West Colfax Ave. (map) to negotiate a TIF agreement to help them redevelop the property.
Staff will report on any pending land use classes in URA areas.
For more information, see the meeting packet.
7-9PM Taylor Swift Trivia @ Morris & Mae
Show off your Taylor Swift scholarship while enjoying Morris & Mae's all-day-Monday happy hour!
Morris & Mae
18475 W. Colfax Avenue (map)
Mines Construction Update
Mines' Newest Residence Hall, at 19th & Illinois - Photo by Patrick Klein
Since Patrick Klein's last construction photos, which appeared on April 25th, the felled trees have been removed and much grading accomplished on the site for the new residence hall.
Over at Mines Park (other side of Highway 6, just south of 19th Street), the elevator shafts have been completed and the framing is well underway.
Golden History: The Return of the Bank
Rubey Bank Building at 12th & Washington – Golden History Museum collection – click to enlarge
87 Years Ago
The June 10, 1937 Colorado Transcript was full of celebratory articles. For the first time since March of 1933, Golden had a bank.
In March '33, President Roosevelt declared a Bank Holiday to end a nationwide run on the banks. Banks were allowed to reopen after auditors examined their books and determined that they were sound. Unfortunately for Golden, the Rubey Bank was never approved to reopen.
The Rubey Bank began in 1893 when W.S. Wood and Jesse Rubey bought the National Bank of Commerce. Jesse’s brother Harry worked in the bank and eventually rose to become its president. When W.S. Wood retired in 1915, the bank was renamed from Woods & Rubey to the Rubey Bank.
Jesse Rubey trained his brother Harry to run the bank, then he (Jesse) returned to his native Kansas City to manage his other business interests. When Harry died in 1925, Jesse returned to Golden to run the bank for two years before selling it to, E. A. Phinney.
The bank remained sound under Phinney’s ownership, but it did not meet federal accounting standards. It was closed in the “bank holiday” and stayed closed for more than three years. Customers were allowed access to their safe deposit boxes, but the bank was not allowed to accept deposits or provide withdrawals.
In September of 1933, John Q. Adams was appointed as receiver. Bank depositors pressured Adams to sell the bank’s assets as quickly as possible, so they could regain some of their deposits. Adams, however, proceeded in a slow and methodical way to examine the assets and sell off those that would bring reasonable returns. In 1933, property and bond values were quite depressed, but within a year or two, they began to regain their value.
The Transcript’s first estimate of what depositors could expect to receive was 65% of their money. Adams paid the first “dividend” to the bank’s depositors in April of 1934–thirteen months after the bank had closed. This first installment was 37-1/2% of the funds that depositors had placed in the bank.
A second dividend followed in June of 1935, which returned an additional 30% of deposits. The Transcript–feeling more optimistic at that point–thought that the final proceeds might reach 80% or even 90% of deposits.
In the end, after the final sale of assets in January of 1937, depositors received 102.44% of the money they had deposited in the bank.
Golden was so pleased with Receiver Adams that they asked him to stay and start a new bank. He did, and in June of 1937, the First National Bank of Golden opened in the Rubey Bank building. Jubilant Golden-ites opened 129 accounts on the first day of business.
Four years and three months is a a long time for a town to be without a bank. In 1935, the Transcript commented that One of the most valuable assets of Golden is idle…. The vaults of the Golden bank…contain not a single dime. Folks must now, for security, resort to those primitive methods, the old clock, the bedtick, and the old sock.
When the new bank opened in June of 1937, the Transcript wrote that Golden had been lucky.
No one has been murdered for their money and there have been no organized robberies for cash hauls…. For the last four years there has been scarcely a business house in the town that, in order to cash checks and to accommodate its patrons, has not had to carry more cash on hand than was felt to be really safe.
Thanks to the Golden History Museum for providing the online cache of historic Transcripts, and to the Golden Transcript for documenting our history since 1866!
Weather
Overnight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. West northwest wind around 3 mph.
Monday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Partly sunny. High near 82, with temperatures falling to around 75 in the afternoon. North northeast wind 2 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Monday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 9pm and midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. West southwest wind 5 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Monday Night: Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy, 60°F
Tuesday: Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, 83°F
Tuesday Night: Mostly Clear, 62°F
Wednesday: Sunny, 89°F
Wednesday Night: Partly Cloudy, 65°F
Thursday: Sunny, 93°F
Thursday Night: Partly Cloudy, 64°F
Friday: Partly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely, 87°F
Friday Night: Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy, 61°F
Saturday: Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, 82°F
Saturday Night: Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy, 61°F
Sunday: Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, 87°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 City Brewery, Golden Cultural Alliance, Golden History Museum, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center, The Golden Mill, Golden Chamber of Commerce, Golden History Tours, Morris & Mae Market, Miners Saloon, Colorado Railroad Museum, Golden Hayride Outpost, Kona Bowls, Tom Reiley, Michael Mason
Friends:
($50-99.99/month or $500/yr)
Tall Pines Painting, Baby Doe’s Clothing, Goozell Yogurt & Coffee Paul Haseman, Donna Anderson, Carol & Doug Harwood, Beth Bidwell, Stephanie Painter, Greg Poulos, and Joy Brandt
Supporters:
($25-49.99/month or $250/yr)
Laura King and Scott Wilson, Bobby German and Alison McNally, Ann Norton & Jonathan Storer, Forrest Jones, Barry & Liz Bettis, Cheryl & Tom Schweich, Marjorie Sloan, Chris and Joyce Davell, Rick Flint, Forrest Jones, AC Development, Cynthia Merrill Tamny, Stephen Pero, Meg Van Ness & Steve Kalasz
Members:
($10-24.99/month or $100/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, Casey & Gina Brown, Sandy Schneider, Mark and Cathy Pattridge, Cheryl G Leidich, Jen Rutter, Carol Abel, 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, Lynne Haigh, Elizabeth Hilliard, Frank Young & Terre Deegan-Young, Kathy Hirons & Jack Markin, Jess & Anthony Monasterio, Ella Lyons & Jeanne Fritch, Heather Sloat, and the Golden Transcript
Followers:
($5-9.99/month)
Golden Community Garden, Lora Haimes, Mariane Erickson
