History & Context

Pioneers explored the Golden area in the early 1800s, encountering the Ute, Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, whose ancestors had inhabited the mesas for as long as 12,000 years. Gold seekers attracted by the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush arrived in the 1850s and Golden City was established in 1859, perhaps named in honor of early gold miner Tom Golden. Settlers quickly established roads, saloons, stores, schools and churches, and Golden grew to include more than 700 citizens by the end of 1859. Golden City soon became an important gateway to the mountains and link to the eastern territories; it also became the county seat in 1861, and it was the territorial capital of Colorado from 1862-1867.

Rail service was established in 1870 and Clear Creek powered new manufacturing, milling and smelting companies and provided water for agricultural irrigation and electricity generation. Golden grew as a regional trade, industrial and educational center, attracting a diverse population including German, Swedish, Italian and Chinese immigrants. Golden is still known for its brick, clay and porcelain industries, as well as the Coors Brewing Company and the Colorado School of Mines—all of which were established in the 1870s.

Golden’s history reflects a pattern of growth spurts punctuated by downturns during The Silver Crash of 1893, the Great Depression and the oil crash and recession of the 1970s and 1980s. Much of the growth has been sudden and unplanned, such as a 1950s annexation that more than doubled Golden’s area overnight and soon filled with subdivisions. Other booms followed regional trends, such as the construction of Interstates I-40 and I-70 in the 1990s. At other times, the City has encouraged growth. A series of revitalization initiatives in 1992 helped bring Golden’s downtown back to life and attracted new, innovative businesses: the American Mountaineering Center made Golden a premier mountaineering hub; the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researches energy technology; and even the Coors Brewery has evolved to emphasize visitor tours and side ventures.

Citizens became concerned about the pace and consequences of growth in the 1990s and established initiatives to control and direct growth. The City completed a Vision 2010 Plan in 1993; a group of citizens started a petition that resulted in a 1996 one percent Growth Ordinance, limiting the construction of new residences to one percent per year; and an Annexation Plan now carefully guides the City’s physical expansion.

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