Winter Sunset
Photo by: Joe Delnero
Click to enlarge
What's happening in Golden today?
Events for Monday, Nov. 11th
- All day - CURRENT EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUMS
- All day - Live Workouts with Community Center Pros
- All day - Golden History Tours
- 4-7PM - Golden American Legion Dinner - Free for All Veterans
- 5:30PM - Board Game & Euchre Night
- 5:30-7:30PM - The Fundamental Principles of Art
- 6-9PM - Teach Me to Play! Mondays
- 6:30-8PM - Golden Anti-Racism Collective Policy & Policing
For more information, click the item above or visit the Golden Today Calendar
4-7PM Veterans Day Dinner at American Legion (Free for Veterans!)
Pork loin, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetable, roll and dessert. Free for Veterans and $13.00 for everyone else...the public is welcome!
American Legion Post 21
500 9th Street (map)
Learn more about the history of Golden's American Legion Post.
Veterans Day
Photo by: Joyce Davell
This is a Federal, State, County, and City holiday, so there will be no mail delivery, government offices, are closed, and the Library is closed today.
Where are the City of Golden’s Open Spaces? Schweich Hill
Top Left: Hiking on Schweich Hill. Top Center: “Whole Leaf Paintbrush” – Castilleja integra A Gray. Top Right: Botanic field trip on a rainy Mother’s Day. Bottom Left: Soldier beetle and praying mantis on Broom-like Ragwort – Senecio spartioides Torr. & A. Gray. Bottom Right: Schweich Hill as seen from North Table Mountain.
By Tom Schweich
The City of Golden is working on our first Open Space Master Plan to define how we care for the approximately 400 acres of open space in our city (See: PDF Map of Golden Open Space). One of our smallest open spaces is Schweich Hill, just 4 acres in size at the north end of Washington Avenue. In the photo above-right, Schweich Hill extends from Cannonball Creek Brewery in the west to N. Ford Street in the east.
Schweich Hill was deeded to the city in 1993 for open space, utilities, and drainage, as part of Canyon Point Filing No. 4 that created the space for Altitude Apartments. Neighborhood housing borders the land as well as a small commercial district. The name Schweich Hill was adopted by the city in 2021. The hill has been left fallow, except for weeding by volunteers and spraying of noxious weeds.
There are four ways to access Schweich Hill. The easiest is at the entrance to the Conoco Station and 7-Eleven that is across Washington Avenue from Starbucks. There is a city sign here that identifies the site as Schweich Hill. The other main entrance is on N. Ford Street just south of Alaska Street where N. Ford curves. Look for an unsigned gravel path. Schweich hill can also be entered from the alley between N. Ford and N. Columbine Streets, and by way of a social trail runs behind (north) of Cannonball Creek Brewery and Evolution Fitness.
There are several social trails on Schweich Hill. The primary social trail runs over the top of the hill from N. Ford Street to Cannonball Creek Brewery. A second trail runs along the south edge of the open space and provides access from Altitude Apartments to the 7-Eleven. While these social trails provide community access, they also erode easily and migrate sideways because of muddy or difficult walking conditions (Schweich, 2024).
Much of the open space is disturbed by construction, disposal of excess soil, social trails, yard waste disposal by neighbors, miscellaneous digging. and pet bunny interment. Some of the disturbed portion is overrun by smooth brome (Bromus inermis Leyss.), a valuable non-native agricultural grass that is very invasive of Colorado native prairies.
Nevertheless, approximately 1.5 acres on the top of the hill have both short and tall native grasses, which together with the native forbs (perennial plants that are not woody), show that the top of the hill is a nearly intact remnant of mixed-grass prairie. Ninety-three species of native Colorado plants have been documented on Schweich Hill, in addition to 45 species of non-native plants, mostly weeds (Schweich, 2024).
The geology is mapped as upturned Arapahoe and Laramie Formations (68-75 million years), but the surface is covered by thin layer of colluvium (sand and pebbles). The Golden Fault Zone passes to the west, between Colorado Highway 93 and Mesa View Drive (Anderson and Haseman. 2021).
Wildlife is seldom seen on Schweich Hill because it is close to civilization and the noise of Colorado Highway 93. However, this space supports typical small mammal wildlife such as meadow voles, bunnies, and even deer occasionally, plus birds and, importantly, it is a good haven for pollinators.
The expansive scenic views from the top of this open space are to the north and south foothills as well as North and South Table Mountains and to central Golden.
References
Anderson, Donna S. and Paul B. Haseman. 2021. Golden Rocks: The Geology and Mining History of Golden, Colorado, Golden, Colorado. https://repository.mines.edu/handle/11124/14162
Colorado Natural Heritage Program. 2021. Biological Survey of Golden Open Space Property. Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University. https://cnhp.colostate.edu/download/documents/2021/CNHP-Golden-Open-Space-Survey-final-report.pdf
Schweich, Tom. 2024. Botanical Resources of Schweich Hill, Golden, Jefferson County, Colorado. https://www.schweich.com/PDF/Botanical_Resources_Schweich_Hill.pdf
Stewards of Golden Open Space. 2019-2024. Schweich Hill. https://stewardsofgolden.org/schweich-hill
Golden History: Golden Military Heritage
Captain George West with his brother-in-law, Joseph Boyd - Golden History Museum Collection
Click to enlarge
In honor of Veterans Day, here are some of the military exploits of early Golden residents, contributed by Golden City Councilor (and West Point graduate) Paul Haseman.
Golden military heritage goes back to its founding in 1859. This heritage finds its best expression in historic Golden figures and events. Among them would be George West, the wagon master of the Boston Company arriving in Golden in June 1859. A year later Edward and Helen Berthoud arrived to join Helen’s parents, John and Jeanette Ferrell, who had arrived a year earlier and built the Miners’ Hotel, long gone but at the site of now 11th and Washington.
George West accomplished much as a Golden leader (e.g., Editor of the Colorado Transcript), but he had earlier military experience with the First Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, where he rose to the rank of Captain. Here in Golden and with the outbreak of the Civil War, he was again commissioned as a Captain in the Colorado Volunteers. He then formed Company H of the Second Volunteer Infantry, a unit that not surprisingly Edward Berthoud joined. West served as a quartermaster and fought with the Colorado 2nd Volunteer Cavalry in an important Missouri battle. (See below.)
Years later, 1887, the Governor appointed Brigadier General West to serve as Adjutant General of Colorado State Militia (now National Guard).
His grandson, Neil West Kimball, served in Europe during World War I and in 1934 was also appointed Adjutant General. During Neil’s term and at his urging, the Governor, Edwin Johnson, renamed the State Rifle Range to “Camp George West.” A well-deserved commemoration for a Golden veteran.
Meanwhile, in March 1862 Berthoud joined West’s Company H, receiving a commission as a First Lieutenant, and eventually rising to Captain. Mostly confined to the perimeter of the Civil War in the Kansas Territory, he did not see much action until 1864, when he and his men were confronted by the last-ditch attempt of Confederate Gen. Sterling Price to win Missouri by taking Jefferson City. As he was also an outstand civil engineer, Berthoud, received commendation for his design and quick building of the earthworks around Jefferson City, which helped repel the Confederate attack. (As a minor unrelated fact, early gold miner, George Jackson (Jackson St), faced Berthoud in the Confederate ranks at this battle.)
Although Edward experienced limited but important action, Helen Berthoud earned her way into the Veterans Ring of Honor. And in 1862, when Edward answered the clarion call to duty as a Union officer, Helen went with him. She served as a field nurse from 1862-1865 ministering to the wounded in field hospitals and in camps. This began her legacy of service to the troops, continuing after the war with her service as an officer with the Golden chapter of the Women's Relief Corps, W.R.C. No. 5, which was an adjunct of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.), similar to today’s American Legion. In keeping with her commitment to the W.R.C., Helen tirelessly proposed a group home for soldiers and sailors. This goal was fulfilled shortly after Helen’s untimely death at 56 on 2 August 1887, when Edward donated an existing house at the northwest corner of 17th & Jackson to establish the Helen Berthoud Hospital. It served as a home for indigent and disabled Civil War veterans. The State soon took over operation of this home and relocated it to Monte Vista, CO. The Home continues today as the Colorado Veterans Community Living Center at Homelake. It is listed today on the State Historic Register. Thank you, Helen and thank you to the many, many other Golden veterans who have served our Nation. Enjoy Veterans Day, you earned it.
As a final note, a thank you to the Golden High School Student Council, which sponsored a Veterans breakfast last week at GHS, organized by my granddaughter, Sabrina Streich, whose parents are also proud veterans.
Weather
Overnight: Mostly clear. Low around 37, with temperatures rising to around 41 overnight. West wind around 8 mph.
Veterans Day: Sunny. High near 55, with temperatures falling to around 50 in the afternoon. Southwest wind 3 to 8 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear. Low around 37, with temperatures rising to around 40 overnight. West wind around 8 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly Clear, 37°F
Tuesday: Sunny, 56°F
Tuesday Night: Partly Cloudy, 33°F
Wednesday: Sunny, 51°F
Wednesday Night: Mostly Clear, 36°F
Thursday: Sunny, 58°F
Thursday Night: Mostly Clear, 35°F
Friday: Sunny, 58°F
Friday Night: Mostly Clear, 36°F
Saturday: Mostly Sunny, 54°F
Saturday Night: Slight Chance Light Rain then Slight Chance Rain And Snow, 31°F
Sunday: Mostly Sunny, 48°F
News About Golden - November 11, 2024
Colorado snow totals: More than 4 feet of snow recorded in parts of state
By Robert Garrison
Denver Channel 7
DENVER — The multi-day snowstorm that pounded Colorado will likely be written down in the November record books after some parts of the state recorded more than 4 feet of snow accumulation... Read more...
City of Golden Police Blotter
Crimewatch
November 1, 2024
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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, AC Development, Cynthia Merrill Tamny, Stephen Pero, Meg Van Ness & Steve Kalasz, Steve & Karla Schaefer, and Bud Rockhill
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