Morning at the Schoolhouse (and the Outhouse)
Photo by Richard Luckin
Click to enlarge
What's happening in Golden today?
Events for Thursday, May. 14th
- All day - CURRENT EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUMS
- All day - Golden History Tours
- All day - Live Workouts with Community Center Pros
- All day - Colorado School of Mines 2026 Undergraduate Spring Commencement
- All day - Golden Sports
- 9-10AM - Golden Women in Business Book Club*
- 9:15-9:45AM - Baby Time - Registration Required
- 10-10:30AM - Call In: Mid-Morning Meditation
- 11AM-12PM - Lunch & Learn: Dr. Vince Markovchick
- 2-3:30PM - Beekeeping 101
- 3-4:30PM - Vaccine, License & Microchip Clinic
- 3:30-5:30PM - Weekly Demonstration - What do you stand for?
- 4-5PM - Pokémon Club
- 6-8PM - Trivia Night @ Scully's Cafe
- 6PM - Run Club
- 6PM - Trivia Night @ Launch
- 6:30PM - Economic Development Commission (EdComm) Meeting
- 7:30PM - Pump Boys and Dinettes
For more information, click the item above or visit the Golden Today Calendar
9AM and 1PM Colorado School of Mines 2026 Undergraduate Spring Commencement @ Colorado School of Mines
For more information, go to commencement.mines.edu.
Location:
Colorado School of Mines
Lockridge Arena (Map)
11AM-12PM Lunch & Learn: Dr. Vince Markovchick @ Golden Community Center
Front Porch Golden Community Center - Bear Creek
FREE - lunch will be provided for the first 20 attendees
Join Dr. Markovchick for a lunch talk on the unsustainable costs and waste driving America's healthcare crises.
Former Director of Emergency Medical Services at Denver Health, Dr. Vince Markovchick, has practiced full time for 32 years. He is a Past President of the American Board of Emergency Medicine and is a Professor Emeritus of Emergency Medicine in the University of Colorado Department of Emergency Medicine. More information
Active Older Adults aged 50+
Location:
Golden Community Center
1470 10th Street (Map)
2-3:30 Beekeeping 101
Curious about keeping bees but not sure where to start? Beekeeping 101 is a beginner-friendly class designed to introduce you to the fascinating and rewarding practice of beekeeping. More information and registration
Location:
Jefferson County Fairgrounds
15200 West Sixth Avenue (map)
4-5PM Pokémon Club @ Golden Library
Pokémon trainers unite! Visit the library each month as Pokémon trainers of all levels come together for an hour of fun! Those just entering the training field can borrow Golden Library’s beginner decks. Experienced trainers are welcome to bring their own 60 card deck to play. Trading cards will only take place if your adult is present. More information
Location:
Golden Library
1019 10th Street (Map)
5PM Colorado School of Mines 2026 Graduate Spring Commencement @ Colorado School of Mines
For more information, go to commencement.mines.edu.
Location:
Colorado School of Mines
Lockridge Arena (Map)
6:30PM Economic Development Commission (EdComm) Meeting @ City Hall Council Chambers
- Meeting Agenda
- Attend the meeting @ City Hall Council Chambers - 911 10th Street - (map)
- Send comments on any of the following topics to edcomm@cityofgolden.net
- Provide in-person comment during the meeting, at 6:30PM.
Tonight's agenda includes:
- Sponsorship request from the Chamber to support their annual Golden Business Summit, scheduled for November 4, 2026, at Mt Vernon Canyon Club.
- Request to spend $500 to sponsor a table at the Colorado School of Mines Fall 2026 Career Fair held on September 16th and 17th. Up to three small Golden businesses will be able to share the table.
Location:
City Hall Council Chambers
911 10th Street (Map)
The Golden Word - 05/14/26
Live Music for Thursday, May. 14th
- 5-8PM Halle Tomlinson @ Golden Mill
- More Live Music
5:30-8:30PM Josh Blackburn @ Wrigley’s
6-8PM Bunny Blake @ Etta Jeanne
6PM Slay & Stinson @ New Terrain Brewing
6:30-9:30PM Josh Bierman Solo Acoustic @ Goosetown Station
7-10PM Open Jam Night @ Dirty Dogs Roadhouse
8PM Karaoke @ Rock Rest Lodge
For more information, visit the Golden Today Calendar
Golden History: Groceries Through the Ages
One of the early general stores on Washington Avenue
Click to enlarge
Grocery stores have grown a lot over the years. When Golden was built, beginning in 1859, there were no stores devoted exclusively to groceries; food was only one of several categories of things sold by most stores.
In the late 19th century, stores began to specialize more. Golden was the trading center for a large area of farms and ranches, so it supported several stores that sold groceries exclusively. Many of the stores along Washington Avenue were used as groceries at one time or another.
The building at 11th and Washington, (now Atomic Cowboy) was Elmus Smith’s Grocery Store in the 1880s.
The Stewart Block at 10th and Washington was built as a grocery store and housed first Nankivell and Jones, then Parfet’s Grocery, then Stewart’s Grocery Store.
Meyer’s Market. Reets & Riley Groceries (1880s) Soren Sorenson’s Grocery (1908-1920), the Market Basket (1920s), and Chuck’s Market (1936-53) have all occupied 1214 Washington Avenue, which is now home to a real estate office.
The Red and White Grocery Store operated at 1213 Washington (now Toad & Co.) from the 1930s-the 1950s. The Abejas building (807 13th Street) was a Piggly Wiggly from the mid-40s through the mid-50s, then became the Golden Gate Market for another 15 years.
There were also many small neighborhood groceries scattered around town. There was a long-lived grocery at 150 10th Street in the Goosetown Neighborhood: it operated from at least the 1920s through the early ’60s. The building at 911 9th St. served as Spear’s Grocery, Ben’s Grocery, and George’s Grocery during the ’40s and ’50s. Pudge’s Cash Grocery operated at 417 Washington in the 1940s. Heatley Groceries was at 3rd and Ford. There was a store at 10th and Ford that operated as Finger Grocery, Maxwell Grocery, and Swafford Grocery from the 1940s until 1960, when Coors Porcelain bought the building to build their parking lot.
The south end of town had the “Tourist Park Grocery” at 22nd and Ford. The building at 2101 Ford St. served as Al’s Grocery, Menaugh Grocery, Castle Rock Grocery, and Evans’ Grocery from the ’30s through the ’60s.
In all of these stores, a grocer would have greeted the customer and helped put together the order. Many of them accepted phone orders and provided delivery.
While it’s easy to romanticize the idea of small, neighborhood grocery stores, they did have disadvantages. Their selection was poorer, of course, and their prices higher. They also didn’t have the high turnover rate that enabled them to maintain reliably fresh dairy and produce.
Supermarkets (self-serve with grocery carts) were just emerging before World War II, and took off after the war, as more people had cars and they wanted to buy food in bulk to last for several days or weeks. Refrigerators also became widespread after the war, which helped households store food for longer periods.
Safeway came to town in the 1930s. It started on Washington Avenue, with a more traditionally scaled store, but built a larger, “supermarket” style store after the war. King Soopers had a store here, at 19th and Jackson, from 1966 to 1976, and then returned with a much bigger store in 1998.
Miller’s Super Market came to Golden in 1966. In 1968, they were bought out by a regional chain and the store operated as Del Farm after that. The store at 1220 Ford Street became a "Mark 'N Bag" before closing in 1976.
If you have ever wondered whether this building at 13th and Ford was an old grocery store–it was!
Weather
Overnight: Mostly cloudy. Low around 62, with temperatures rising to around 67 overnight. West southwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 16 mph.
Thursday: A slight chance of rain showers between noon and 3pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. West wind 8 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear. Low around 54, with temperatures rising to around 57 overnight. West wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly Clear, 54°F
Friday: Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers, 83°F
Friday Night: Partly Cloudy, 56°F
Saturday: Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, 75°F
Saturday Night: Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy, 53°F
Sunday: Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, 79°F
Sunday Night: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely, 48°F
Monday: Rain Showers Likely, 60°F
Monday Night: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely then Chance Rain And Snow Showers, 38°F
Tuesday: Slight Chance Snow Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, 62°F
Tuesday Night: Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy, 41°F
Wednesday: Mostly Sunny, 73°F
News About Golden - May 14, 2026
Free Golden-to-Morrison shuttle launches on May 23
By Corinne Westeman
Golden Transcript
After years of planning, starting May 23, Jeffco residents will have a new way to reach their favorite parks and museums... Read more...
Upcoming Road Closures
By Traci Case
Colorado School of Mines Infrastructure and Operations
Hello Neighbors,
There are two upcoming road closures in the area of Elm/19th/Illinois Streets that are related to the construction of the sophomore dormitory on the corner of 19th and Illinois Streets. The closures are... Read more... Download PDF below.
City of Golden Weekly Digest
In this issue... Download PDF below.
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, Saré Merrigan, 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, 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, Tonie Mattox, Centennial State Wealth Advisors, Steve & M.L. Richardson, Jeremy & Stephanie Keller, AC Development, and Golden PT & Pilates
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, 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, Colleen & Michael Ramey, Nancy & Pete Torpey, Jax Baker, Simon Maybury, Rose McLaughlin, Cameron Chambers, Joyce Gravina, Patrick Klein, Barb Robie, 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, Eileen Masterson, Kate Olivier, Amy Korengut, Pam Logan, Clare Shier, Wendy Weiman, Marge Frueh. Nannette Johnson, Edgar Walker, Bivy Beer Bar, Nancy Cooper, Jane & Mike Templeton, and Vicki Greivel
Followers:
($5-9.99/month or $55/year)
Golden Community Garden, Lora Haimes, Mariane Erickson, J.J. Fraser, Mel Perkins, Bob Hamilton, Steve Stevens, Vicki Olson, Emily Kurzinski, Nanette Johnson, Peyton Gibson, Sally Berger, Kristen Morgan, Joyce Sutton, Mary Rains, Craig Champlin, Stan Swisher, Bill Way, Chris Toney, Alicia Zimmerman, Tamara Feucht, and Carie Chimbel
