History of Golden, CO

Golden City became the "Lowell of the West", a regional center of trade and industry that boasted at certain points in time three flour mills, five smelters, the first railroad into the Colorado mountains, the Coors Brewery, brick works, the only paper mill west of Missouri, clay and coal mines, and more. During the 1870s it became home to three institutions of higher education, the Colorado University Schools of which the Colorado School of Mines remains today. Golden was also home to an opera house and seven churches including Colorado's third (Methodist) church, oldest Baptist church, likely oldest Christian (Disciples of Christ) church, and first Swedish immigrant (Lutheran) church. The town was home to sizable populations of German, Swedish, Italian and Chinese immigrants; five immigrants became mayors of Golden.

Until the early 20th century Golden maintained a small town population of around 2,500 people. Several industries faded or were destroyed by tragic events , but others flourished to continue Golden's industrial legacy including its brewing, brick making, clay mining and porcelain industries. Golden became even more connected through mass transit, with two trolley lines extending to Denver, while the movie theater gradually took the place of the opera house for downtown entertainment. Downtown revitalization efforts began in the 1920s with its first streetscape and ornamental lighting project and urban renewal on its north and east, anchored by new senior high and grade schools. The historic cultural tension between the city's north and south sides gradually eased, and the town successfully endured additional major economic depressions including the Silver Crash of 1893 and the Great Depression. The School of Mines gained a worldwide academic reputation, Coors rapidly came to the forefront of the national and international brewing and ceramics