Golden

Golden is a home rule city that is the county seat of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Founded during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush on June 16, 1859, the mining camp was originally named Golden City in honor of Thomas L. Golden. It is the birthplace of the Jolly Rancher, a candy bought out by the Hershey Foods Corporation, and home to Yeti Cycles. In 1867, the territorial capital was moved about 12 miles (19 km) east to Denver City. Golden is now a part of the DenverAuroraLakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corridor. The Colorado School of Mines, offering programs in engineering and science, is located in Golden. In addition, it is also home to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, National Earthquake Information Center, CoorsTek, Boston Market, Spyderco, Software Bisque, American Mountaineering Center, and Colorado Railroad Museum. The city population was 20,399 at the 2020 U.S. Census, and is expected to rise to 20,500 by the end of the decade. It was the capital of the provisional Territory of Jefferson from 1860 to 1861, and of the official Territory of Colorado from 1862 to 1867. In the early 1870s, a fierce railroad competition developed between Denver, ten miles (16 km) to the east, and Golden. W.A.H. Loveland founded the Colorado Central Railroad on February 9, 1865, to do just this. By 1869, the race was becoming less and less of a race.

History

Golden is the primary city name, but also Arvada are acceptable city names or spellings, Blackhawk on the other hand no longer accepted or obsolete and are no longer used as a designation. Golden City was established on June 16, 1859, along Clear Creek west of Denver. It became capital of the federally recognized Colorado Territory on August 2, 1862, continuing as such until 1867. By the mid-1860s, Golden held a merely honorific status as the territorial capital, rather than serving as the legitimate source of territorial power. The citizens and supporters of Golden realized that a spur from Golden to the new transcontinental railroad, running through Cheyenne, Wyoming, 100 miles (160 km) to the north, was the only possibility for Golden to reemerge as the dominant heart of commerce in the territory. In an appeal to the residents of Denver, The Rocky Mountain News, which was based in Denver itself, wrote an article imploring the citizens of Denver to vote to fund a railroad, spurring construction of the Denver Pacific Railway. By 1869, the railroad race to CheYenne was becoming less and less of a race, as the Denver Central began expanding west into mountain communities such as Georgetown, Black Hawk, and Central City, all areas founded on and focused in silver mining. Golden, having then sidetracked into servicing various close by mountain communities, continued to fall behind the pace set by the Denver railroad, and by 1870, officially lost the race to cheyenne. The Colorado Central Railroad connected directly with Cheyennes seven years later, in 1877, but by that point, the race with Denver had been lost. During the early 20th century, Golden was home to three higher education institutions, the Colorado University of the Mines, the only paper mill west of the mountains, clay and clay mines, and more.

Geography

Golden lies just north of I-70 and west of Denver at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. It is situated between Lookout Mountain and the two Table Mountains, within a sheltered valley fed by Clear Creek. Clear Creek flows through town from the west, out of its canyon shared by US 6, and exits the valley it carved between North Table Mountain and South Table Mountain. In which is located the Coors Brewery. At the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total area of 6,225 acres (25.193 km²) including 59 acres (0.240km²) of water. The city has a population of 2,816. It has a total land area of 7,823 acres (23,822 km²), including 2,715 acres (21,821 km² of water) and 1,813 acres (3,827 km²). The city is located in the Rocky Mountain National Park, which is part of the National Park Service. The town is located between the mountains of North Table and Southtable. It also has a small section of the Colorado River, which flows through the city. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the city's population to be 2,082 in the 2020 Census. The population of the city is 2,917. It had a population in the 2010 U.N. Census, which included a total of 1,716 people. The number of residents is expected to rise to 2,091 in the 2015 U.K. Census.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 18,867 people, 7,394 households, and 3,985 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 90.6% White, 1.2% Black or African American, 3.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.4% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. The city's median income was $49,115, and the median income for a family was $67,414. About 3.5% of families and 11.3%. of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4%. of those under age 18 and 7.6. of those age 65 or over. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was2.8. The median age was 33.9 years, with 24.7% under the age of 20, 13% from 20 to 24, 27.5%. from 25 to 44, 25% from 45 to 64, and 10% who were 65 years of age or older. The population was 56.6 per cent male and 43.4 per cent female. The per capita income for the city in 2000 was $25,257. It was $41,822 for males and $32,413 for females. It is the only city in the state with a population of more than 10,000 people. It has a population density of 2,096.3 inhabitants per square mile (809.7/km²).

Arts and culture

Golden is home to numerous museums, including the Golden History Museum & Park, Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, Colorado Railroad Museum, and the Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum. The Jefferson Symphony Orchestra performs seasonally at Bunker Auditorium in the Green Center at the Colorado School of Mines, and has performed continuously since 1953. The city's thriving beer culture supports several microbreweries, including Golden City Brewery, Mountain Toad Brewing, Cannonball Creek Brewing Company, and Barrels & Bottles Brewery. Coors Beer is one of the leading employers in the Golden area, with 900 employees working full-time in the brewery. The UllrGrass beer festival every January and the Knock Your Boots Off Beer Tasting and Chili Cook-off every October are two of the city's most popular festivals. The American Alpine Club Library and Colorado Mountain Club Collection is the world's largest repository of mountaineering literature and is internationally known. The largest event of the year is Buffalo Bill Days in late July (since 1946); the Golden Fine Arts Festival in August (since 1990), and Olde Golden Christmas in November to December (since 1972). The town's location near plenty of world class rock climbing, skiing and mountainering make Golden a center for mountaineers culture. The town is also home to the headquarters and brewery of Coors beer, and it has kept its headquarters in the city ever since its founding in 1873. There is also the Mother Cabrini Shrine and the Foothills Art Center, an art exhibition venue housed in a historic church.

Sports

Golden has generated three Major League Baseball players, four Olympic competitors and two Olympic medalists. Clear Creek is also home to a nationally renowned kayak course. The city is home to the American Mountaineering Center and features noteworthy rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, and hang gliding opportunities. Golden High School competes in various sports in 4A competition in Colorado, and its football program dates as far back as the 1890s. The Colorado School of Mines competes primarily in NCAA Division II athletics in a variety of sports including football (dating to 1888), baseball and basketball. Golden's competitive athletics go back for well over a century and feature public school and collegiate teams and athletes. Golden has to date generated three major league baseball players and four Olympic competitors and two Olympic medalists. It is also the home of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, which has been around for more than 100 years and has a national ski and snowboard center. The town is the site of one of the most popular ski resorts in the United States, with more than 3,000 visitors a year. It also has a number of other outdoor activities, including a national kayak and snowshoeing center and a mountain biking and hiking center, as well as a national mountaineering center. Golden is the location of the National Ski and snowboarding Center, which was founded in 1973 and is based in Clear Creek, Colorado. It has been home to several professional ski teams, including the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, and Colorado State University.

Government

Golden is a home rule municipality of the city form of statutory government in Colorado. Its government is a city council/city manager form of leadership which consists of a popularly elected mayor elected by the entire citizenry. To date Golden has held 91 popular elections for municipal officials since its first such election in 1860, including 85 regular elections and 6 special elections. The council hires and supervises the city manager, who hiring and supervising the city staff. The current city manager is Jason Slowinski. Golden was among the first municipally governed cities in Colorado and has one of the oldest continuously functioning governments in the state. Its current elected officials are: Joseph G. Behm, Saoirse Charis-Graves, Marcia Claxton, Pamela Gould, Laura Weinberg, Casey Brown, and Joseph M. Brown. The city council is made up of seven members, each popularlyelected from their ward/district/at large and they serve as the governing body of the City of Golden. The mayor is elected by a majority of the citizens of Golden, and the city council consists of two councilors each representing a district comprising one half of theCity, and four councilorseach representing a ward of which each district is divided into two. Golden's current mayor is Joseph Behm and the current city councilors are: Saoirsea Charis Graves, Joseph M., Casey Brown and Pamela Gould. Golden is a member of the Colorado House of Representatives and the Colorado State Senate.

Education

Golden, Colorado, was originally home to the second school in Colorado. It is part of the Jefferson County R-1 School District, which provides public education throughout Jefferson County. The city has four elementary schools, one middle school, and Colorado's oldest senior high school (Golden High School) In higher education, Golden features the oldest public university in the state, the Colorado School of Mines, situated on a hill overlooking the city. Nearby is the Mountain Language Institute, an English language school providing classes both in Golden and online. It was the first school in the United States to be named after a woman, and the first in Colorado to be so named. It opened its doors in 1872. It has been named after the woman who founded the school in 1852, and is now known as "The First Lady of Golden" The city is home to a number of museums, including the Colorado Museum of Natural History and the Colorado State Museum of Science and History. It also has a museum of American history, which dates back to the 18th century, and a national park, which is located in the foothills to the west of the city, near the town of Shelton. The town is also home to several historic buildings, such as the Golden House, which was built in the 1800s. The Golden House is one of the oldest buildings in the U.S., and is located near the city's downtown area. The City of Golden was once home to Colorado's second school, which opened in 1876.

Infrastructure

The main part of Golden is laid out upon a historic street grid system running on an approximately northwestsoutheast axis. Most of these are paved streets with a total 66-foot (20 m) right of way. The streets of the southeasterly part of town are aligned with the Denver metropolitan street grid, which are aligned directly with the true directions of the compass. The West Corridor (W line) of the FasTracks light rail line, which parallels 6th Avenue into Golden, opened to the public on April 26, 2013. The closest airport to Golden is nearby Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, a general aviation air transport facility located in northeastern Jefferson County. Passenger traffic generally uses Denver International Airport in northeastern Denver. Although passengers are no longer served by heavy rail, Golden continues to be served by railroad transportation for cargo, as it has been continuously since 1870. Within the Coors Brewery grounds it becomes the brewery's own in-house railroad. Golden has several main thoroughfare street connections to the east which date to the Gold Rush times, including West 44th Avenue, West 32nd Avenue and South Golden Road. Golden is part of the network of the Regional Transportation District which provides bus and light rail service throughout the Denver metro area. It is also home to the Colorado Springs International Airport, which is a major hub for air travel in the Denver area and the Rocky Mountain West region of the U.S. The city is located on the Colorado River, which runs through the southern end of the city.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Golden, Jefferson County, Colorado = 26.9. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 90. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 30. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Golden = 5.7 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 20,399 individuals with a median age of 36.8 age the population grows by 2.60% in Golden, Jefferson County, Colorado population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 2,117 residents per square mile of area (817/km²). There are average 2.28 people per household in the 7,179 households with an average household income of $57,485 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 6.40% of the available work force and has dropped -4.90% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 23.80%. The number of physicians in Golden per 100,000 population = 192.3.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Golden = 16.4 inches and the annual snowfall = 54.2 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 73. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 242. 86 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 17.9 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 58, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Golden, Jefferson County, Colorado which are owned by the occupant = 58.21%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 31 years with median home cost = $295,220 and home appreciation of -10.10%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $7.40 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,465 per student. There are 18.6 students for each teacher in the school, 551 students for each Librarian and 441 students for each Counselor. 6.59% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 28.14% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 17.94% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).