During the 1930s, Golden began celebrating the anniversary of its founding (in June of 1859) with a summer party, which they called Golden Days. They continued celebrating during World War II, but it was a decidedly muted affair, with a heavy emphasis on victory gardens and food production in wartime.
80 Years Ago
In the summer of 1946, we were finally at peace, so we had a lot to celebrate! That year, Golden merged several festivities and had a multi-day blow-out.
1946 was the 100th anniversary of William Cody’s birth, and tens of thousands were expected to visit his grave and museum that summer. In his honor, Golden Days was renamed to “Buffalo Bill Days” that year. The schedule was packed:
- Tuesday and Wednesday – 4H fair, horse races, and rodeos at the county fairgrounds
- Thursday – Carnival on Washington Avenue, barbecued buffalo sandwiches served by the American Legion
- Friday – Carnival, Buffalo Bill Parade, VFW dance
- Saturday – Carnival, air show, beauty contest, soap box derby, frat tug-of-war, fireworks, square dancing
- Sunday – Baseball games, “sailplane” acrobatics over the ball field
By all accounts, the celebration was a huge success. There were long lines for the buffalo sandwiches. Everyone enjoyed the fireworks. Children loved the carnival. The parade included several people dressed as Buffalo Bill and many others as generic cowboys and Indians. Gertrude Bell (of Bell Junior High fame) won the prize for best American Indian costume.
Only the public health officials had qualms about the big gathering. We were in the midst of a polio epidemic. A few days after the big party, the County Health Officer recommended that “all public playgrounds, swimming pools, amusement parks, Sunday schools, picnics and fairs where children congregate in the county, be closed, in compliance with recommendations made by the State Board of Health and Colorado Emergency Polio Committee.”
Because of the epidemic the opening of school was postponed by two weeks that fall.
