The View from Lubahn in the Fall
Photo by Liz Erickson
Click to enlarge
What's happening in Golden today?
Events for Tuesday, Oct. 21st
- All day - CURRENT EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUMS
- All day - Live Workouts with Community Center Pros
- All day - Golden History Tours
- 8-9AM - What's Brewing Golden @ The Golden Outpost
- 9AM - Golden Seniors - KaffeeKlatsch
- 9:15-9:45AM - Baby Time - Registration Required
- 10AM-12PM - DeLong Park Weedbusters
- 10-11AM - Story Time and Craft @ The Railroad Museum
- 10:15-10:45AM - Preschool Time - Registration Required
- 11:30AM - Lunch Bunch - Friends of the Front Porch
- 1-3PM - Hand Embroidery Stitchers
- 2:30PM - Local Licensing Authority Meeting
- 4-7PM - Teen Volunteer Hours
- 5-8PM - Cat Takeover V - Taco Cat Tuesday
- 5:30-7:30PM - Exploring the Elements of Art
- 6-7:45PM - Golden Beer Talks
- 6:30-8PM - Financial Education Event, But First Chocolate
- 6:30-8:30PM - Team Trivia Tuesday
- 6:30-8:30PM - Trivia Tuesdays
- 6:30-8:30PM - Toad Trivia
- 6:30-8:30PM - Bar Bingo Night
- 7PM - Pub Trivia
For more information, click the item above or visit the Golden Today Calendar
What Native Plants Still Have Leaves in Winter? Creeping Barberry.
Figure 1. Creeping Barberry — Berberis repens Lindley, both images ©Max Licher (CC BY-SA).
By Tom Schweich
Previous articles have discussed the plants that are in bloom along Golden’s trails. With winter approaching, our flowering plants are hunkering down, waiting until next spring’s warmth. We have a few plants that retain their leaves through the winter, most notably the cone-bearing trees, such as pines, firs, and spruces. We also have a few native shrubs or sub-shrubs that retain their leaves in winter. One attractive winter native plant is “Creeping Barberry” — Berberis repens Lindley.
Creeping barberry has shiny green leaves on creeping stems and bright yellow flowers in spring. In the fall, there are purple berries among leaves that turn bright red. I would not walk on it in my bare feet, though, because the leaves have sharp teeth. Not quite as sharp as the real holly — Ilex aquilifolium L. — which is in a whole different family, but sharp enough to get your attention. The origin of the generic name Berberis is thought to be an Arabic name for the fruit. The etymology of "repens" in Berberis repens comes from the Latin word for "creeping," which describes the plant's growth habit of spreading along the ground by stolons.
Creeping barberry has been collected or observed in every Golden Open Space, typically around the edges of Golden, on slopes of the mesas, among rocks, or the lower canyons of Apex, Windy Saddle, and Mount Galbraith Parks to the west. There are not many collections in Jefferson County, and those are mainly right along the Front Range, but I suspect it is far more common than the number of collections would imply.
The story of how our plant was discovered and described starts once again with Meriwether Lewis’ & William Clark’s Corps of Discovery and ends (once again!) in the horticultural gardens of London, England. Lewis & Clark traveled across the North American continent by way of the Missouri and Columbia Rivers in 1804-5, returning to the United States in 1806. One of the plants they brought back was Oregon grape — Berberis aquifolium Pursh — a large evergreen shrub that does not occur in Colorado. You may also know it as Mahonia aquilifolium (Pursh) Nutt.
Lewis & Clark also brought back some seeds from a plant that was similar, but much smaller. These seeds were grown in gardens of the eastern U.S., in particular the garden of Mr. Michael Floy, Nurseryman at New York. Even though the plants were small, they were sold under the name of Berberis aquifolium Pursh, i.e., Oregon grape.
Buyers from the Horticultural Society (England) purchased one of Mr. Floy’s plants for twenty-five dollars, about $820 at today’s prices. It was taken back to England and grown in one of the Horticultural Society’s several gardens around London, England. John Lindley, secretary to the Horticultural Society, was familiar with similar plants described by David Douglas and Archibald Menzies, two Englishmen who traveled extensively in the Pacific Northwest. Lindley (1828) recognized our plant as a different species than Oregon grape and gave it the name of Berberis repens Lindley.
Creeping barberry — Berberis repens Lindley — is often available in nurseries and relatively easy to grow in the garden, though a little shade or a little water might help it thrive at our lower elevations.
References
Lindley, John. 1828. Berberis repens. Botanical Register. Vol. 14, No. 1176. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/9050#page/138
Wikipedia contributors, "Archibald Menzies," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Archibald_Menzies&oldid=1295970263 (accessed October 17, 2025).
Wikipedia contributors, "David Douglas (botanist)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=David_Douglas_(botanist)&oldid=1307755851 (accessed October 17, 2025).
Wikipedia contributors, "John Lindley," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Lindley&oldid=1311879593 (accessed October 17, 2025).
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)
10-11AM Story Time and Craft @ The Railroad Museum
Join staff and volunteers at the Colorado Railroad Museum as they share some of their favorite children’s stories with a decidedly railroad theme followed by a fun make and take. Recommended ages 4-6 years old. More information
Free for Museum Members and included with general admission.
Location:
Colorado Railroad Museum
17155 W. 44th Avenue (Map)
11:30AM Lunch Bunch - Friends of the Front Porch @ Footprints Restaurant at Fossil Trace
Average lunch price is $15-25.
Location:
Footprints Restaurant at Fossil Trace
3050 Illinois Street (Map)
The Golden Word - 10/21/25
Play now.
6-7:45PM Golden Beer Talks @ Buffalo Rose
Quarry Fire in Jefferson County – July 30, 2024 – Photo by Denver West Metro Fire
Topic: Jefferson County Wildfire Mitigation Efforts
Speaker: Brian Keating - Wildland Fire Program Manager, Jeffco Sheriff’s Office
Brewery: Golden City Brewery
Jefferson County is making a substantial investment in the development of a Wildland Fire Management Program aimed at activities and programs to protect citizens, community values and natural resources from the threat of catastrophic wildfire. By state statute, the Sheriff is the Fire Warden for the county and as such, the program is part of the Emergency Services Section of the Sheriff’s Office.
An evening hosted by Golden Beer Talks centers around a brief, informative and entertaining presentation by an expert on an irresistibly enticing topic. Each event features beer for sale from one of our local breweries, along with a variety of delicious food and drink offerings from the Buffalo Rose kitchen and bar.
It's Golden's own grassroots version of TED talks for the benefit of our own local community--and just for the fun of it. Golden Beer Talks is a nonprofit venture focused on three favorite local things--Golden and Beer and Talking!
Learn more at www.goldenbeertalks.org.
Location:
Buffalo Rose
1119 Washington Avenue (Map)
Golden History: Possible Paving
Dirt Streets in Golden
Click to enlarge
105 Years Ago
The October 21, 1920 Colorado Transcript had an article about proposals to pave a route from “the cement road” (Colfax) into downtown Golden. There were two routes under consideration–extending Washington Avenue south, at a cost of $53,506.97 or extending Ford Street at a cost of $39,122.84.
At that time, all of Golden’s streets–including Washington and Ford–were still unpaved.
Weather
Overnight: Clear. Low around 38, with temperatures rising to around 40 overnight. West southwest wind around 8 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny. High near 68, with temperatures falling to around 64 in the afternoon. East wind around 7 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear. Low around 42, with temperatures rising to around 44 overnight. Northwest wind 2 to 6 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly Clear, 42°F
Wednesday: Sunny, 68°F
Wednesday Night: Partly Cloudy, 45°F
Thursday: Partly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers, 66°F
Thursday Night: Chance Rain Showers, 44°F
Friday: Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny, 62°F
Friday Night: Mostly Clear, 43°F
Saturday: Mostly Sunny, 70°F
Saturday Night: Mostly Cloudy, 45°F
Sunday: Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers, 65°F
Sunday Night: Chance Rain Showers, 41°F
Monday: Chance Rain And Snow Showers, 57°F
News About Golden - October 21, 2025
Molson Coors Beverage Company Announces Corporate Restructuring of Americas Business Unit
Molson Coors
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Molson Coors Beverage Company ("Molson Coors" or “the company”) (NYSE: TAP, TAP.A) today announced a corporate restructuring plan, designed to create a leaner, more agile Americas organization while advancing its ability to reinvest in the business and position the company for future growth.
In total, the company plans to eliminate approximately 400 salaried positions across its Americas business by the end of December 2025 – including hundreds of salaried positions that were already open from role prioritization efforts put in place earlier this year, and those who may be granted voluntary severance as part of this restructuring. The plan is estimated to result in the reduction of approximately 9% of the company’s Americas business salaried workforce... Read more...
Molson Coors to cut Americas workforce by 9% amid restructuring
Reuters
Beer maker Molson Coors said on Monday it would cut about 400 jobs, or 9% of its Americas salaried workforce by this year-end as part of a corporate restructuring plan... Read more...
Goldenites pack prominent bridge for “No Kings 2.0” protest
By Corinne Westeman
Golden Transcript
National organizers anticipated that the Oct. 18 “No Kings 2.0” protest would be even bigger than the initial June 14 event, which drew 5 million protesters.
And, by all accounts, it was... Read more...
Orediggers topple two tough teams, celebrate Senior Day
By Corinne Westeman
Golden Transcript
The Orediggers are going up, up, up — it’s their moment.
They know that, together, they’ve been growing, and their season is gonna be, gonna be Golden... 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 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, Tom Reiley, Michael Mason, Colorado Railroad Museum, and Goosetown Station
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, 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, and Centennial State Wealth Advisors
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, and Wendy Weiman
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, and Craig Champlin
