Early Morning
Photo by Nancy Torpey
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What's happening in Golden today?
Events for Tuesday, Feb. 3rd
- Golden History Tours
- 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
- 10:30-11:30AM - Tots & Art Tuesdays
- 12-3PM - Hexie Ladies - English Paper Piecing Enthusiasts
- 5:30-7:30PM - Textile Society
- 5:30-7:30PM - Exploring the Elements of Art
- 6-7:30PM - Keeping the Lights On: Powering Your Golden Home During Outages
- 6PM - Creating Thumbnail Paintings
- 6:30PM - Trivia Night
- 6:30-8:30PM - Team Trivia Tuesday
- 6:30-8:30PM - Bar Bingo Night
- 7PM - Pub Trivia
For more information, click the item above or visit the Golden Today Calendar
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)
10:30-11:30AM Tots & Art Tuesdays @ Foothills Art Center - Astor House
Join us every first Tuesday of the month at Foothills Art Center’s Astor House for story time and a hands-on art activity inspired by our book of the day! This class encourages creativity, sensory play, and early art exploration in a fun, welcoming environment. It’s the perfect opportunity for toddlers and their caregivers to explore art and imagination together. Free More information
Location:
Foothills Art Center - Astor House
1133 Arapahoe Street (Map)
6-7:30PM Keeping the Lights On: Powering Your Golden Home During Outages @ Golden Community Center
Power outages can be disruptive and stressful. Join the City’s Sustainability team for a free community conversation on practical ways to keep your home powered when the grid goes down.
Learn about backup power options—from portable power stations and generators to home battery systems with solar and electric vehicle (V2H) solutions. Hear real-world experiences from neighbors, ask questions of experts, and connect with local resources.
What to expect:
• Interactive tables showcasing backup power technologies
• Contractors and technology experts on hand
• Sustainability resources, rebates, and giveaways
• A moderated panel of local residents sharing firsthand experiences
Whether you rent, own, or are planning ahead, this event offers helpful insights for greater peace of mind during outages. More information
Location:
Golden Community Center
1470 10th Street (Map)
6PM Creating Thumbnail Paintings @ Foothills Art Center - Creative Campus
Learn how to take complex visual ideas and distill them into their most essential elements using thumbnail studies. This class focuses on how to simplify form, value, and color into small, powerful compositions that serve as blueprints for larger works. Students will explore how to identify what makes a composition visually compelling, break down minimal value structures, experiment with color schemes, and discover what’s most essential to their compositional design. Ideal for artists looking to strengthen their planning process and create more intentional, impactful paintings.
Tuesdays, February 3, 10, 17, 24, March 3, 10, 2026, 6-9PM Register
Location:
Foothills Art Center - Creative Campus
809 15th Street (Map)
The Golden Word - 02/03/26
Golden History: Schwartzwalder Uranium Mine
72 Years Ago
The February 4, 1954 Colorado Transcript celebrated Fred Schwartzwalder’s discovery of a significant uranium deposit a few miles north of Golden. There was a big uranium boom in the 1950s, driven largely by the cold war and the push to build nuclear weapons.
Mr. Schwartzwalder lived at 207 Boyd Street (map) and was employed as a janitor at Golden High School. He spent his weekends prospecting in the hills around Golden, bringing home rock samples and storing them in his backyard. After several years of this, he acquired a Geiger counter and learned that one of his backyard specimens was radioactive. He couldn’t remember where he had found that particular rock, and it took a few months to re-locate the source. The uranium deposit was located on the Paul White ranch, so Schwartzwalder leased the mineral rights.
Most of that ranch is now White Ranch Open Space, but the mine was not part of the land sale.
In researching this topic, I found references that gave different stories. Here are a few examples.
Origins of Fred Schwartzwalder’s Geiger counter:
Time Magazine:
“In 1950 Fred decided to buy a Geiger counter. For months he worked overtime at his job as janitor of the local high school in order to accumulate the necessary $100.”
Historically Jeffco – Summer, 1990:
“For Christmas, 1950, his four children pooled their gift money and bought Dad a Geiger counter.”
The agreement with Paul and Anna White (owners of the property):
Colorado Transcript 2/4/1954
“The strike was made on property owned by Paul White of Golden…. This mine site was leased from White.”
Paper by Erik Hunter
“In approximately1954, a man showed up at the workings and informed Fred that he was the rightful owner of the surface and mineral rights. Fred persevered and cut a deal with the owner, Paul White. They agreed to sell the property to the highest bidder.”
Historically Jeffco – Summer, 1990
“…he negotiated an agreement with the owners of the land, Paul and Anna White. He would pay them fifteen percent of the gross proceeds of any minerals obtained from their land.”
Proceeds from the sale of the mine:
Colorado Transcript 2/23/1956
“Purchase of the mine was not disclosed, but it is understood that Schwartzwalder had turned down the previous offers ranging from $500,000 to $1.5 million.”
Historically Jeffco – Summer, 1990
“In 1957, Fred, whose health was deteriorating, sold the mine to Golden-Denver Uranium Company for $293,000.00. He and his wife bought dentures, a house and a new car and took a trip back to Germany to see the brother he had left 46 years before. The rest of the money melted away in a series of unwise investments and speculations. “
The Rest of the Story
The mine stayed in production until 2002. More recent articles about the Schwartzwalder Mine focus on the ongoing clean-up required to prevent uranium from entering local drinking water supplies.
Weather
Overnight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. West wind around 7 mph.
Tuesday: A slight chance of rain and snow after 5pm. Mostly sunny. High near 53, with temperatures falling to around 50 in the afternoon. West northwest wind 6 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tuesday Night: A slight chance of rain and snow before 5am. Partly cloudy. Low around 29, with temperatures rising to around 32 overnight. West northwest wind 3 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tuesday Night: Slight Chance Rain And Snow, 29°F
Wednesday: Sunny, 52°F
Wednesday Night: Mostly Clear, 36°F
Thursday: Sunny, 63°F
Thursday Night: Clear, 38°F
Friday: Sunny, 63°F
Friday Night: Partly Cloudy, 39°F
Saturday: Mostly Sunny, 61°F
Saturday Night: Partly Cloudy, 36°F
Sunday: Mostly Sunny, 59°F
Sunday Night: Partly Cloudy, 36°F
Monday: Mostly Sunny, 61°F
News About Golden - February 3, 2026
Colorado Railroad Museum Telegrapher
Coloradans ask for more information after city of Golden alerts residents to 2 sexual assaults
By Austen Erblat
CBS Colorado
After the City of Golden alerted residents to two daytime sexual assaults on social media, Coloradans felt the alert lacked information that could help keep them safe... Read more...
Wondering about this mild winter? Third-graders get the answers from a meteorologist.
By Elaine Tassy
CPR News
A few fun facts about the rest of the snowy season:
- This winter, we’re likely to get less snow than last year.
- Last December was the warmest of Colorado’s Decembers, and,
- The origin of the word snow is a mystery wrapped in a snowball.
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 Cultural Alliance, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center, The Golden Mill, Golden Chamber of Commerce, Golden History Tours, Miners Saloon, Golden Hayride Outpost, Unite Fitness, Clothilde Elingbow, Michael Mason, Goosetown Station, and Earth Sweet Boutique
Friends:
($50-99.99/month or $550/yr)
Tall Pines Painting, Baby Doe’s Clothing, Goozell Yogurt & Coffee 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, and Joy Brandt
Supporters:
($25-49.99/month or $250/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, and Jeremy & Stephanie Keller
Members:
($10-24.99/month or $110/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, Vicki Olson, 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, and Marge Frueh
Followers:
($5-9.99/month)
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, and Chris Toney
