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What's Happening in Golden - Monday, Oct. 19th, 2026

News and events in Golden, Colorado. Monday, Oct. 19th, 2026

,   and  Barb Warden
8 min read
Click to enlarge

Early Fall at Fossil Trace

Photo by Liz Erickson
Click to enlarge

What's happening in Golden today?

Events for Monday, Oct. 19th

Golden History Tours
Fit and Energize Exercise Class
Let's Dance - Registration Required

For more information, click the item above or visit the Golden Today Calendar

2-3PM Virtual: Active Minds Monday

At Jefferson County Public Library, we foster continuous learning and connections. Keep your minds engaged every Monday! Be sure to explore our website for additional weekly event options, including call-ins and livestreams.

Today's Topic: Gulf States

Learn about the Gulf States — small, oil-rich Arab nations located on the strategically important and politically complex Persian Gulf. Utilizing their wealth, these small conservative monarchies have increasingly worked together to position themselves as moderators and gain global influence. Register

3:30PM GURA Board Meeting @ City Hall

The meeting will be recorded and available to watch at your convenience on the Agendas and Meetings page on the City of Golden website.

Junction Plan Area
The developers will request that 100% of the tax increment be refunded to them, to help cover the $59 million in public improvements needed to make the development feasible. It will require a roundabout on Highway 93 and a grade-separated pedestrian crossing over (or under) Highway 93. See pp. 2-3 and 11-122 of the meeting packet.

17455 West 16th Ave (Nazarene Church) Plan Area
This developer also requested 100% ($2.2 million) of the tax increment to build affordable housing, and the board has already agreed. See p. 4 of the meeting packet.

Junction URA Formation
Staff has been working with the affected taxing entities to meet the developers' request for 100% of the tax increment. The affected entities include Jefferson County, Jeffco School District, Jeffco Public Library, Mile High Flood District, and the City of Golden. The City is assessing the cost of providing fire protection for the new development. See pp 4 and 5 of the meeting packet.

2027 Budget

  • The state has reduced assessed property valuations, so GURA will have less revenue in 2027.
  • The city is increasing their charges to administer GURA's business, from $60K to $80K/year.
  • Staff suggests that GURA also contribute 2% of its TIF revenue to help cover blight mitigation across the city "including: power resilience efforts, professional and legal costs to create new URAs, etc." This would not include the Nazarene area, since GURA has already given 100% of the TIF revenue to the developers.
  • GURA is contributing to the cost of the Lena Gulch flood control project.
  • 20% of the revenue from each budget is reserved for contingency.

See pp. 123-127 of the meeting packet.

Staff Report

  • Staff has applied for a grant to study power grid resiliency.
  • The City may ask GURA to help fund a trail along the Lena Gulch project.

See p. 6 of the meeting packet.

Location:

City Hall Council Chambers
911 10th Street   (Map)

5:30-7PM Downtown Development Authority Meeting @ City Hall Council Chambers

Tonight's Topics:

Community Marketing/Visit Golden
Representatives of the Community Marketing group will discuss their new strategic plan. The group is focusing on encouraging visitors to enjoy Golden without eroding it.

Grant Request for 807 13th Street
This property needed an emergency repair on their sewer main. This building holds Abejas restaurant and Faith Tattoo.

DDA Block Party
The DDA held a block party in the Astor House/Miners Alley parking lot on October 10th. They interacted with residents and posted an online survey to gather feedback on the idea of a public plaza, either in that parking lot or in some unspecified place.

Burying Utility Lines
Staff has been talking with Clayworks and Excel about the cost of burying power lines on Ford Street through downtown.

Budget

  • The state has reduced property tax assessments, so the DDA will have less revenue to work with next year.
  • DDA may increase the grants budget from $130K to $200K. This is largely to support power system resiliency upgrades.
  • The DDA plans to contribute about $2.25 million to city projects over the next two years. In addition, they may be asked to contribute to upgrades at Miners Alley Performing Arts Center and the Golden Welcome Center.
  • They will keep $200K as a contingency fund.

Location:

City Hall Council Chambers
911 10th Street   (Map)

The Golden Word - 10/19/26

Play now.

Golden History: The 1878 Map

1878 Willits Map of Golden Colorado – Redrawn by Dan Abbott
Click to enlarge

One of my favorite research tools is the 1878 Willits Map of Golden. It provides incredible detail about exactly what was here in that year. Check out this piece of downtown:

Washington Avenue to Ford, 11th to 13th, from the 1878 Willits Map of Golden, redrawn by Dan Abbott – click to enlarge

I knew that Dan Abbott (author of Colorado Central Railroad) had redrawn it from the original, but I had not known what inspired him to do that–so I asked! Here’s Dan’s story:

Back in the mid-1980s, both Francis Rizzari and Dick Ronzio were at the age of not driving at night anymore, so they appointed me to chauffeur them to the monthly Denver Westerners meeting.

In the course of these monthly outings Dick mentioned that he had an old Golden map he would like to have redrawn, and as he knew that I had done some of this kind of work previously, he commissioned me to redraw this particular historic item relating to Golden’s history.

I went to his house one day soon after this, and took charge of this original map to be redrawn. It was an original linen map in colored ink, which had been glued to a 24” x 36” piece of plywood with a Plexiglas sheet covering the front. The original linen had been folded in half and was a bear to decipher any detail around this fold.

It took approximately 120 hours to redraw this at its original size. When completed around the first of April in 1987, Dick took my original drawing and had it reduced to 18” x 22” and gave me a copy, which I in turn had about 100 copies made and sold these for a number of years thereafter.

Dan Abbott

Weather

Overnight's Weather

Overnight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. West wind around 3 mph.

Monday's Weather

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 68. Northeast wind 1 to 6 mph.

Monday Night's Weather

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 48. Northwest wind around 5 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly Clear, 48°F

Tuesday: Mostly Sunny, 71°F

Tuesday Night: Partly Cloudy, 52°F

Wednesday: Mostly Sunny, 74°F

Wednesday Night: Mostly Cloudy, 55°F

Thursday: Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers, 73°F

Thursday Night: Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy, 56°F

Friday: Mostly Sunny, 71°F

Friday Night: Partly Cloudy then Chance Rain Showers, 44°F

Saturday: Chance Rain Showers, 59°F

Saturday Night: Chance Rain Showers, 41°F

Sunday: Mostly Sunny, 64°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 or $1,175/year)
Buffalo Rose, Buglet Battery, Foothills Art Center, Golden Cultural Alliance, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center, The Golden Mill, Golden Chamber of Commerce, Golden History Tours, Miners Saloon, Clothilde Elingbow, Michael Mason, Earth Sweet Boutique, and Colorado Railroad Museum

Friends:
($50-99.99/month or $575/yr)
Tall Pines Painting, Baby Doe’s Clothing, Paul Haseman, Donna Anderson, Carol & Doug Harwood, Stephanie Painter, Greg Poulos, Ann Norton & Jonathan Storer, Mary & Don Parker, The Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, Vic DeMaria, Unite Fitness, and Joy Brandt

Supporters:
($25-49.99/month or $285/yr)
Laura King and Scott Wilson, Bobby German and Alison McNally, Forrest Jones, Barry & Liz Bettis, Cheryl & Tom Schweich, in memory of Marjorie Sloan, Chris and Joyce Davell, 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, Robert Thresher, Tonie Mattox, Steve & M.L. Richardson, Jeremy & Stephanie Keller, AC Development, Golden PT & Pilates, Frank Young & Terre Deegan-Young, Mary Eiberger, and Jonathan Landman & Bonnie Vangilder

Members:
($10-24.99/month or $115/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, Karen Oxman, Catherine Skokan, Ross Fraser & KC Gilliland, Lynne Haigh, Elizabeth Hilliard, Kathy Hirons & Jack Markin, Jess & Anthony Monasterio, Heather Duncan, Lee Ann & Pete Horneck, Carol Cameron, Cheryl Williamson, San Daugherty, 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, Colleen & Michael Ramey, Nancy & Pete Torpey, Jax Baker, Simon Maybury, Rose McLaughlin, Cameron Chambers, Joyce Gravina, Patrick Klein, Barb Robie, Richard Caldwell, Sam & Marilyn Baron, Carmen Johnson, Kevin Nichols, Ed & Carol Freza, Laura and Curtis Moore, Ruth Hund, Shelley & Jerry Devitt, Eileen Masterson, Kate Olivier, Amy Korengut, Pam Logan, Clare Shier, Wendy Weiman, Marge Frueh, Edgar Walker, Bivy Beer Bar, Nancy Cooper, Jane & Mike Templeton, Vicki Greivel, Kim McDonough, Carie Chimbel, Peggy Brochtrup, Cindy & Matt Finley, Kelly Fry, Esther Kettering, Tom & Susan Roberts, Vicki Greivel, GoGood Golden, Sandra Dallas, Nanette Johnson, and Ella Lyons & Jeanne Fritch

Followers:
($5-9.99/month or $55/year)
Golden Community Garden, Lora Haimes, Mariane Erickson, J.J. Fraser, Steve Stevens, Vicki Olson, Emily Kurzinski, Peyton Gibson, Sally Berger, Kristen Morgan, Joyce Sutton, Mary Rains, Craig Champlin, Stan Swisher, Bill Way, Chris Toney, Alicia Zimmerman, Tamara Feucht, Golden Brokers, Diane Tiberi, Cathy Larocca, Dave Cole, and Rachael Kenney-Reid

Highlights