GOLDEN FAM
WHEN: March 6, 2013
9:00 a.m. Arrive and park at Golden Visitor Center (10th & Washington)
• Overview of Golden
• History of the town and Arch over Washington Street
9:30 a.m. Stroll along Clear Creek to the Golden History Center
• View the extensive collection of Golden artifacts
10:00 a.m. Walking Tour of the 12th Street Historic District by Golden tour guide:
• Clear Creek History Park
• Victorian houses
• Astor House (oldest hotel building in Colorado)
• The Armory Building
• Calvary Episcopal church (celebrating its 125th anniversary)
• Golden Landmarks Association (presentation)
• Foothills Art Center (presentation about their “Degas Exhibit” which starts April 6) – Originally First Presbyterian Church built in 1872.
Noon Lunch at the Bridgewater Grill in the Golden Hotel
1:00 p.m. Historic Downtown Golden Museums (30 minutes each)
• American Mountaineering Museum
• Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum
2:00 p.m. Colorado School of Mines Campus Tour
• Overview/History of CSM in Green Center
• National Earthquake Center
• Geology & Mining Museum (display of minerals, mining artifacts, fossils, gemstones and a walk-through mine)
3:30 p.m. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
• Shuttle will be provided
• NREL has exhibits on federally-supported research into the latest technologies in solar, wind and biomass energy
Guide Line Review
RMGA Golden Fam
Golden Visitors Center -- Mary Bendelow
The Golden Visitors Center is located in historic downtown Golden, Colorado, on the north side of Clear Creek, at 1010 Washington Avenue. There is free public parking adjoining the building. The building is open from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 - 4 on Saturdays. Carol Ann Bowles, Visitors Center Volunteer Coordinator & Special Events Assistant, and other volunteers were there to greet us. Carol also has been running the Olde Golden Christmas for 22 years. The lobby is stuffed with brochures, maps, exhibits and helpful information about local attractions. The building is managed on a day-to-day basis by the Golden Chamber of Commerce, which has offices in the building. The chamber also supervises dozens of volunteers who staff a visitor information desk and help with day to day tasks. The building was completed in 1997 on land leased from the City of Golden for a dollar a year.
www.goldencochamber.org
Clear Creek Stroll to Golden History Center -- Valerie Booze
Nathan Richie, Golden History Museums Director, told us that the center consists of three facilities: Golden History Center, Clear Creek History Park and the Astor House. www.goldenhistorymuseums.org
The Golden History Museum is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. As far back as 1938, citizens began collecting, exhibiting, and preserving Golden artifacts. Jefferson County Commissioners, with the aid of the Works Progress Administration, were instrumental in creating this collection as the basis of a museum that has had several homes over the years. Since 1996 its home has been 923 10th Street (when it was known as the Golden Pioneer Museum). Explore our second territorial capital’s unique history through permanent and rotating exhibits, lectures, programs, and events.
Clear Creek History Park is located along Clear Creek in downtown Golden. See how Golden’s early settlers worked and played from 1867-1915. Its outdoor setting recreates the look and feel of a late 1800s mountain ranch complete with gardens, a working blacksmith shop, the Guy Hill schoolhouse and a chicken coop. The grounds are open from sunrise to sunset every day of the year. Buildings are open with scheduled activities Thurs-Sat from 10am-3pm in June, July and August.
Astor House – Built in 1867 when Golden was the territorial capital, the Astor House stayed in continuous operation as a boarding and rooming house until 1971, serving legislators, miners, and students. Ida Goetze purchased the house in 1892 and added electric lights, piped in water and gas and the first bathtub in town, costing 25 cents for a soak!
Walking Tour of 12th Street Historic District -- Valerie Booze
Debbie Sage, of GoldenWalkingTours.com and Jessica Lira, Student & Public Programs Coordinator for Golden History Museums, were our tour guides for this informative walking tour.
The 12th Street Historic District is the most historically significant residential area of Golden, which was instrumental in the development of the Colorado Territory. Most residences were built between 1870 and 1920 and display adaptations of basic architectural styles popular during the period using local building materials.
In additional to the 12th St Historic District, this tour also included the Clear Creek History Park, Astor House, and the following fun facts about Golden, Clear Creek and the Colorado School of Mines:
– Golden has a population of 19,000, is approx. 8 sq. miles and has an elevation of 5,675 ft. Originally called Golden City, it was founded in 1859 and was the 2nd territorial capital of Colorado from 1862-1867. The name comes not only for being the supply center for miners of the region during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush, but also after Thomas L. Golden, one of the first prospectors to pan for gold in the area.
– The city maintains 402 acres of open space, 253 acres of parks, 24 miles of trails, surrounded by 8,000 acres of open space. Enjoy public art along Clear Creek walking trails and throughout the city. Clear Creek Whitewater Park offers a quarter mile course for canoeing and kayaking.
– The welcome arch over Washington Street was built in 1949 and originally said “Where the West Remains,” but the wording was changed later to "Where The West Lives" out of a fear the Chamber then had of people thinking Golden was a dead place.
– Golden is the birthplace of Jolly Rancher candy, the resting place of Buffalo Bill Cody and the home to the world’s largest single site brewery, Coors Brewery (now MillerCoors).
– Golden’s Armory Building is the largest cobblestone building west of the Mississippi, built in 1913 with 3,300 wagon loads of stream worn boulders from Clear Creek and quartz from Golden Gate Canyon. Actor Gene Hackman is one of the previous owners.
– The mountainside “M” was constructed in 1908 when 250 Colorado School of Mines students and 20 faculty members loaded a supply train of burros with rocks and packed their way up Mt. Zion west of Golden. The “M” was designed mathematically to be seen from different sides of the mountain. In 1932, it was lit permanently and changed from incandescent bulbs to LEDs in 2008. Each fall, incoming freshmen carry a 10-pound rock from campus to the M And coat the symbol with fresh whitewash. Graduating seniors are invited to return to the M And retrieve their rocks.
– The Mines Band wears red and black plaid shirts, jeans, hiking boots and hard hats, making it a unique presence among university bands.
Golden Hotel -- Teresa Wilson
The Bridgewater Grill in the Golden Hotel treated us to a delicious soup and sandwich buffet lunch. The Golden Hotel is a green hotel which uses solar panels for much of their energy needs, uses energy-efficient lighting, guestroom towel / linen re-use and on-premise recycling. Golden Hotel offers the option to purchase $1 refillable water bottles, with $0.50 going to the Colorado Carbon Offset Fund. The Golden Hotel is also a pet-friendly hotel. Since the Golden Hotel is located along Clear Creek, many of the rooms have a creek side view and easy access to the Clear Creek walking and bike path. Note also the city of Golden does not impose a lodging tax on hotel rooms. In the summer live music can be heard on the creek side patio. Thorough out the year a monthly brew dinner features Colorado hand-crafted beers. 800 11th St, Golden, CO 80401
www.thegoldenhotel.com
During dessert at the Bridgewater Grill, we had the following three presentations. Mariann Lorenz, Curator at the Foothills Art Center, described the upcoming exhibition, “Degas: Beyond Ballerina.” This exhibit will view his early art and life as well as rare works of art of friends and colleagues in Degas’ circle. The exhibit runs April 6- June 30. Seniors with an AARP card are admitted free all day on June 13, thanks to support from AARP Colorado. www.foothillsartcenter.org
Miners Alley Playhouse (MAP) is located in the historic district of Golden in the old Foss Building. The playhouse seats 135 in a horseshoe shape, so all seats are good seats. Heidi Markley, Sweetheart of the Golden Cultural Alliance, represented MAP and introduced us to the regional premiere of Pittman Painters, based on a true story of miners who become artists. Discounts are available for groups of 12 or more. Contact the playhouse for details. Web: www.minersalley.com
Golden Landmark Association (GLA) formed in 1971 to save the Astor House and has worked for over 35 years to preserve historical landmarks in Golden and educate the public on Golden’s history. Two important collections in the archives is the Pete Morrison Filmography Collection. Pete was the first cowboy to film silent westerns. He also trained John Wayne as a cowboy actor. The Richard Ronzio Collection contains still photographs of Golden from the early 1900s. The current GLA restoration project is the Brickyard House. This century old house was constructed from bricks made locally by Golden Pressed & Fire Brick Works. Once restoration is completed, the GLA offices and museum will be housed here. Richard Gardner, Historian and past GLA President, invites you to take virtual tours of featured exhibits from Golden’s past. www.goldenlandmarks.com/museum
Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum -- Terryl Lofgren
Located at 1213 Washington Ave, Golden, CO 80401 / Open Mon- Sat 10 am-4 pm, Sun 11 am- 4 pm. www.rmqm.org
“The mission of the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and educate the public about quilts, honor quiltmaking traditions, and embrace the evolution of the art and craft of quilting.” RMQM began with a dream and 101 quilts. Eugenia Mitchell wanted her quilts to be seen by others and preserved for the future. In 1981 others joined her in the dream and so began the efforts needed to create a museum. By 1990 it all came together and Eugenia’s dream came true at age 87 with the opening of the RMQM.
The museum has become the home for over 500 quilts as well as the Sandra Dallas Library’s 3,000 volume collection of research, historic patterns, technique resources, and literature regarding this craft.
The exhibits explore two directions; the history and scope of quilting along with artistic contemporary quilts. These are covered in the current exhibits which include “New Acquisitions from the Anne Olsen Collection” and “Surface Explorations by Cynthia St. Charles”, winner of the Evolutions juried quilt show.
Anne Olsen seeks out old quilts and quilt pieces, takes them apart, cleans and repairs, then recreates the quilt. She records on the quilt the history and work she has added, retaining the heritage of the quilt.
Cynthia St. Charles hand-dyes her fabrics, then hand-stamps and hand-paints them, finally quilting the piece creating a one of a kind art quilt. Exhibits change approximately every three months.
Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum -- Terryl Lofgren
Open Monday - Saturday. Closed Sunday
www.mountaineeringmuseum.org
Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum opened in 2008, as the only US museum devoted to the sharing of knowledge and understanding of mountaineering and the mountains. The temporary exhibit space as you enter currently has photography by the Museum’s namesake: Henry Bradford Washburn Jr. and his wife, Barbara. At 11, Bradford Washburn climbed Mt Washington, adding photography to his passion when his mother gave him a Kodak Brownie two years later. By the age of 16 he had added the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc to his achievements. So began a career at Boston’s Museum of Science blending science with art thru cartography, eventually determining a new height for Mt Everest at 29,035 ft.
Included in the displays is a 135 square foot scale model of Mt Everest and the Khumbu region surrounding it, one of only two in the world. The !0th Mountain Division display represents the more than 10,000 elite men trained to fight in the extreme cold and mountain conditions during WW II. Artifacts such as the ice axe used by Peter Schoening to save 5 falling climbers on K2 and an oxygen cylinder used by the 1922 Mallory Everest expedition are a part of their collection. Mountain cultures are experienced with pieces such as the Dorje Thorlo mask worn for a monastery festival in Nepal.
Table Mountain Inn -- Tom Jensen
The Table Mountain Inn welcomed the group with a much-appreciated stop for afternoon refreshments and a tour of the property. The Table Mountain Inn combines the spirit of the West and the splendor of the Rocky Mountain with warm western hospitality. Being centrally located on Washington Avenue, it is within walking distance of Golden’s many attractions. The Inn is an ideal location between Denver (think light rail!) for those who want to catch a show, shop the malls, or attend one of the many annual events and the mountains for hiking, rafting, fishing, snow sports and rock climbing.
The group was given a tour the Grand Rooms and the Suites by Matt Leach, Sales, Catering and Marketing Coordinator, Ashley Zimmerman, Catering Director, and our hostess, Lisa Lindgren, Director of Marketing, Table Mountain Inn.
Key Facts:
• Formerly the Holland House; has been remodeled and expanded since 1992 when it became the Table Mountain Inn
• Five thousand square feet of meeting space
• Seventy-four guest rooms: Traditional, Grand, and Suites
• Rack rate for the rooms range from $174/night (Traditional) to $189-$199 (Grand) to $249/night (Suites). Remember there is no lodging tax in Golden!
• The Traditional rooms are currently undergoing a “soft” renovation to maintain their fresh look
• Member of the STASH rewards program. This is a program of independent locally owned hotels. The Boulderado and Teatro are also members of the program.
• Owned by Frank Day, founder of Rock Bottom Brewery and Old Chicago Pizza
National Renewable Energy Laboratory -- Norma Bovee
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency. NREL’s work focuses on advancing renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies from concept to the commercial marketplace through industry partnerships.
The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC,a partnership between Battelle and MRIGlobal, manages NREL for DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
This year, NREL celebrates 35 years of energy efficiency and renewable energy research and development. NREL began operating as the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) on July 5, 1977. SERI was dedicated to harnessing power from the sun and quickly caught national attention. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter was the first U.S. president to visit the lab; fast forward to 1991, and another U.S. president, George H. W. Bush, elevated SERI to a national laboratory and changed the name to the National Renew¬able Energy Laboratory. NREL became the only national laboratory to focus solely on clean and renewable energy technologies; solar, wind and water, biomass, hydrogen and geo thermal.
After an orientation from Sara Barba, Education Program Coordinator, we toured the Visitor Center exhibits. The Visitor Center is transitioning to become a new Education Center. The current exhibit space will be allocated to program and classroom spaces and new exhibits will be relocated near to the entrance for walk-in visitors.
How much of our energy needs could be supplied by renewable energy sources? The answer is 100%. The sun alone could provide over 600 tunes the countries annual energy usage. A new generation of highly efficient wind turbines can produce electricity for 5 cents per Kilowatt hour. Continuing research is expected to reduce energy cost to about 3 cents per kilowatt hour about the cost of current coal generated electricity.
If you enjoyed the energy facts shared here, then visit http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy13osti/57078.pdf for more.
Golden City Brewery - Valerie Booze
Known as “The Second Largest Brewery in Golden, Colorado” 920 12th St, Golden CO 80401 / (303) 279-8092 / www.gcbrewery.com
We all enjoyed a complimentary beer!