Golden, Colorado
Golden is a home rule city that is the county seat of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States.[1][5] The city population was 20,399 at the 2020 United States Census.[4] Golden lies along Clear Creek at the base of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. 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. Golden City served as the capital of the provisional Territory of Jefferson from 1860 to 1861, and capital of the official Territory of Colorado from 1862 to 1867. In 1867, the territorial capital was moved about 12 miles (19 km) east to Denver City. Golden is now a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corridor.
Golden, Colorado
June 16, 1859,[2]
as Golden City, Kansas Territory
January 3, 1871,
as Golden City, Colorado Territory
Laura Weinberg
9.727 sq mi (25.193 km2)
9.634 sq mi (24.953 km2)
0.093 sq mi (0.240 km2)
5,675 ft (1,729.74 m)
20,399
2,117/sq mi (817/km2)
2,963,821 (19th)
3,623,560 (17th)
5,055,344
08-30835
0202837
The Colorado School of Mines, offering programs in engineering and science, is located in Golden. It is also home to the National Earthquake Information Center, on the campus of Mines; and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a federally-funded science institution. Additionally, Coors Brewing Company, CoorsTek, Boston Market, Spyderco, Software Bisque, American Mountaineering Center, and Colorado Railroad Museum are located in the city. It is the birthplace of the Jolly Rancher, a candy bought out by the Hershey Foods Corporation, and home to Yeti Cycles. Western showman William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody is buried nearby on Lookout Mountain.
Geography[edit]
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 and 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 (0.240 km2) of water.[4]
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, two councilors each representing a district comprising one half of the city, and four councilors each representing a ward of which each district is divided into two. These seven members of the city council are each popularly elected from their ward/district/at large and they serve as the governing body of the city. The council hires and supervises the city manager, who hires and supervises the city staff, which handles the daily operations of the city.
Golden's current elected officials are:
Golden was among the first municipally governed cities in Colorado and has one of the oldest continuously functioning governments in the state. To date Golden has held 99 popular elections for municipal officials since its first such election in 1860, including 92 regular elections and 7 special elections in 1860, 1879, 1882, 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2020.