Viewing Spring from South Table Mountain
Photo by Carol Freza
Click to enlarge
What's happening in Golden today?
Events for Tuesday, Apr. 7th
- All day - CURRENT EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUMS
- All day - Golden History Tours
- All day - Live Workouts with Community Center Pros
- All day - Golden Sports
- 9AM - Golden Seniors - KaffeeKlatsch
- 9:15-9:45AM - Baby Time - Registration Required
- 10-10:45AM - Storybook Tour
- 10:15-10:45AM - Preschool Time - Registration Required
- 12-3PM - Hexie Ladies - English Paper Piecing Enthusiasts
- 5:30-6:30PM - Drought Community Meeting
- 5:30-7:30PM - Textile Society
- 5:30-7:30PM - Exploring the Elements of Art
- 6-8:30PM - American Sign Language Class
- 6-7PM - Deep Time Detour Webinar with Amy Atwater and Keegan Kuhn
- 6:30PM - Trivia Night @ Bivy Beer Bar
- 6:30-8:30PM - Team Trivia Tuesday @ Buffalo Rose
- 6:30-8PM - Waterwise Yard Seminar (Virtual)
- 6:30-8:30PM - Bar Bingo Night @ VFW
- 7PM - Pub Trivia @ Atomic Cowboy
For more information, click the item above or visit the Golden Today Calendar
Golden’s Other Native Maple – Box Elder
Figure 1. Aspects of box elder — Acer negundo L. (A) Staminate (male) flowers with emerging leaves. (B) Pistillate (female) flowers. (C) Box elder bug — Boisea trivittata. (D) Pinnately compound leaf with three leaflets. (E) A nice-looking box elder on a golf course in Virginia. Copyright images from iNaturalist.
By Tom Schweich
Recently, I wrote about my favorite native maple – Rocky Mountain maple. But Golden has another native maple hiding in plain sight: Acer negundo L., better known as box elder. Despite being a true maple, box elder rarely gets called one. Its common name likely reflects the pale wood’s resemblance to boxwood and the similarity of its compound leaves to those of elderberry.
Box elder is often held in low regard as an ornamental tree. Its brittle limbs break easily, trunks are prone to rot, and it is frequently associated with box elder bugs. The leaves turn a dull yellow and drop over an extended period, along with the winged seeds—contributing to its reputation as a “dirty tree.”
Yet this reputation misses what makes box elder valuable. It tolerates poor soils, grows quickly, and is both drought- and cold-hardy—traits that have made it useful in rural plantings and shelterbelts. More importantly, as a native tree it provides habitat for a wide range of insects, birds, and other wildlife. Many birds and squirrels feed on its seeds (Rosario, 1988).
We should also talk about the box elder bugs – Boisea trivittata. They can be a nuisance when they congregate on warm walls during fall. In cold weather they find their way into our houses, but they cause no damage. They primarily eat box elder seeds, and sometimes seeds of other maples and ash trees, but rarely damage the trees. Some birds will eat box elder bugs but they are not a major, preferred food source for most birds. However, box elder bugs are part of a functioning ecosystem and do provide some food value.
While box elder bugs may be the most noticeable insect, they are a minor part of a much larger ecological picture. Box elder supports a suite of native caterpillars that feed baby birds each spring, and native trees like it support far more insect diversity than ornamental non-native species. This ecological value far outweighs the nuisance of box elder bugs.
Box elder is native to North America from Maine to California, and from the Northwest Territories of Canada south to Honduras.
Not surprisingly, with such a wide distribution box elder has a variety of other common names, such as "Manitoba maple," "ash-leaf maple," "cut-leaved maple," "three-leaf maple," "ash maple," "sugar maple," "negundo maple," and "river maple."
The scientific name Acer negundo L. traces to Linnaeus (1753), who reported the species from the Colony of Virginia. However, records show the tree was already being cultivated in London by 1668 (Bean, 1916), indicating it was known to European botanists well before Linnaeus formally described it.
Acer negundo L. is the only species of maple with pinnate compound leaves (Figure 1D) and has sometimes been treated in a separate genus with the name of Negundo aceroides Moench. However, recent phylogenetic data shows that box elder belongs with the maples in genus Acer. And, while maples in general are thought to be Asian in origin, box elder evolved in North America about 25 million years ago (Li, et al., 2019).
Box elders have separate staminate (male) and pistillate (female) trees. The staminate flowers (Figure 1A) on male trees emerge first with the newest leaves. Shortly thereafter the pistillate flowers emerge on female trees (Figure 1B).
Finally, box elder sap contains a substantial amount of sugar and can be made into a pleasant beverage. Plains Indian tribes used it to produce syrup, and it is still used today, though it is less sweet than syrup from sugar maple (Rosario, 1988).
References
Bean, William Jackson. 1916. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles, Vol 1, A–C 8th ed. John Murray, London. London: J. Murray, 1916. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/20825.
Li, Jianhua, et al., 2019. Maple phylogeny and biogeography inferred from phylogenomic data. Journal of Systematics and Evolution. 57(6):594-606. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jse.12535
Linnaeus, Carl. 1753. Species Plantarum. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/359077#page/498/
Rosario, Lynn C. 1988. Acer negundo. Fire Effects Information System. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory. https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/tree/aceneg/all.html
9AM Golden Seniors - KaffeeKlatsch @ Golden Welcome Center
Hey, Golden Seniors! Join your friends at the Welcome Center for coffee and conversation! We meet on the Creekside Patio or the Heritage Community Boardroom. Sponsored by the Golden Welcome Center, Golden Pond Retirement Community and the Rotary Club of Golden.
Location:
Golden Welcome Center
1010 Washington Avenue (Map)
10-10:45AM Storybook Tour @ Colorado Railroad Museum
The first Tuesday of every month, join us for the Storybook Tour! Intended for young children and their parents, the tour starts at 10:00 a.m. and lasts approximately 45 minutes. Cost is $3 per person, plus Museum admission.
This one-of-a-kind tour takes you on a trip throughout the Museum’s railyard, inspired by some of the best of children’s literature—railroad themed, of course! The Little Engine That Could, the Little Red Caboose and of course, Donald Crews’ Freight Train provide the suitable inspiration for this adventure at the Colorado Railroad Museum. Order Tickets
Location:
Colorado Railroad Museum
17155 W. 44th Avenue (Map)
5:30-6:30PM Drought Community Meeting @ Golden Community Center
Wildfire South of Golden, 2024 - Photo by Jen Rutter
Due to a historically warm winter, lack of rainfall in the foothills, and many other factors, the City of Golden is preparing for a potential drought declaration.
What does mean for our residents? Learn from City staff about water resiliency, how we're protecting Golden's water supply, and possible drought recommendations and regulations. There will be a formal presentation followed by an open forum for residents to ask questions. More information
Location:
Golden Community Center
1470 10th Street (Map)
5:30-7:30PM Exploring the Elements of Art @ Foothills Art Center
Meeting on Tuesday evenings 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., our group of artists takes on advanced explorations in the elements of art, with an emphasis on refining skills, building on strengths, and supporting areas for improvement. Experienced artists working in any medium, including drawing mediums, are welcome as we meet and support one another in a spirit of fellowship with the intent of finding and/or enhancing our own personal voice. Register
Location:
Foothills Art Center
809 15th Street (Map)
6-7PM Deep Time Detour Webinar with Amy Atwater and Keegan Kuhn
In what will be the final Webinar before the Public Opening of the Deep Time Detour Exhibition at the Martin G. Lockley Discovery Center, Dino Ridge Executive Director Jeff Lamontagne and Board Chair Lorraine Alcott will share details of this innovative science-meets-art museum project, and how you can still be involved. Register.
6:30-8PM Waterwise Yard Seminar (Virtual)
Our free, online Waterwise Yard Seminars are taught by local landscape and horticultural professionals. Get your landscaping questions answered and learn how to keep your yard looking great while using less water. Seminar topics range from low-water landscape design, xeric plant selection, smart irrigation, and more. Both novice and advanced gardeners are sure to learn something new. Register
TOMORROW: Garden Round Table
- 50 Plus Community - Garden Round Table
- Wednesday, April 8th, 12:00-2:00
- FREE lunch provided for first 50
We will be featuring native plant specialists, the city’s very own horticulturists, the Jeffco Beekeepers Association, Habitat Helpers, Stewards of Golden Open Space, a backyard chicken specialist and more. Bring your questions, grab a sandwich and we’ll find you some answers.
Location:
Golden Community Center
1470 10th Street (Map)
(upstairs)
The Golden Word - 04/07/26
Golden History: Golden's 2nd Interurban
This clipping from Dan Abbott’s collection comes from the April 7, 1904 Colorado Transcript. It shows construction of the D&NW RR – enlarge
Click to enlarge
122 Years Ago
The April 7, 1904 Colorado Transcript announced that our new interurban railroad–the Denver & Northwestern, or D&NW) was nearing completion. The crew shown above was building the track across Washington Avenue and service was expected to begin any day.
Golden’s first interurban (the Denver & Intermountain, or D&IM) opened in 1891. It came through Lakewood and terminated on 13th Street, on the east side of Washington Avenue. Their ticket office was inside the Linder Hardware building.
The D&NW came through Arvada. It entered on 12th Street, circled the block to Arapahoe Street, and terminated on 13th Street, on the west side of Washington Avenue.
The D&NW was a significant step up in that it was powered by electricity rather than coal. That meant that the new railroad was cleaner and quieter than the older one. It also had an attractive new depot, which was a great source of civic pride.
The D&NW was owned by the Tramway company, which ran Denver’s streetcar system. They were a well-run and well-funded company, and when the D&IM went bankrupt, the Tramway bought them and electrified that line as well. Thereafter, they ran both of the interurban lines between Denver and Golden.
All interurban passenger rail service in the Denver metro area ended in June of 1950. Most of the lines were replaced by bus routes (though the D&NW route through Arvada was not).
Weather
Overnight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. North wind around 3 mph.
Tuesday: A slight chance of rain showers after 3pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68. East northeast wind 2 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tuesday Night: A slight chance of rain showers before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. West southwest wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tuesday Night: Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy, 46°F
Wednesday: Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers, 73°F
Wednesday Night: Mostly Cloudy, 45°F
Thursday: Partly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers, 72°F
Thursday Night: Chance Rain Showers, 45°F
Friday: Chance Rain Showers, 67°F
Friday Night: Chance Rain Showers, 47°F
Saturday: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely, 70°F
Saturday Night: Chance Rain Showers, 46°F
Sunday: Chance Rain Showers, 68°F
Sunday Night: Chance Rain Showers, 44°F
Monday: Chance Rain Showers, 65°F
News About Golden - April 7, 2026
The Colorado town with a history of beer, brothels and bouillon
By Dan Daru
Fox 31
GOLDEN (KDVR) — You don’t have to know how to play five card draw to dive into the history of Golden Colorado.
Just spend a little time with historian Chris Albrecht who owns Golden History Tours, he sure looks the part wearing the clothes of an 1800’s miner... Read more...
Man arrested in connection with crash that seriously injured cyclist
By Zvi Gutierrez
9News
GOLDEN, Colo. — A man has been arrested in connection with a crash that happened last month, the Golden Police Department announced on Saturday... Read more...
Revel Bikes Welcomes Levi Olsen as Sales and Site Leader
Bicycle Retailer
(Golden, CO) Revel Bikes, the Golden, Colorado-based mountain bike company known for its carbon fiber and titanium lineup, today announced that Levi Olsen has joined the team as Sales and Site Leader. Olsen brings deep bicycle industry experience spanning sales, marketing, and operations, and will play a central role in managing Revel's retail relationships, production pipeline, and continued growth... Read more...
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 , Unite Fitness, 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, and Vic DeMaria
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 Joy Brandt
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
