Rich with history,
Golden Colorado was founded in 1859 as the main supply point to the nearby gold and silver fields around the legendary mining towns of Central City and Blackhawk. Before being granted statehood in 1876, Colorado first was named as a territory in 1861 and Golden was the territorial capital until 1867 when the capital was moved to Denver. Golden continues to be the county seat for Jefferson County.
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| Colorado's beautiful Rocky Mountains |
In 1873, Adolph Coors arrived in Golden, tasted the pure water of Clear Creek flowing out of the Rocky Mountains through Golden, and founded the beer brewing company that bears his name to this day. In 1874, the world-famous Colorado School of Mines was established in Golden to serve the engineering needs of the mining industry that shaped the early history of Colorado. Continuing that spirit of leadership, Golden today is home to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the nation's primary research and development facility for renewable energy sources, technology and applications.
Golden is located 13 miles west of the Denver city limits and is separated from the other west metro suburbs by the North and South Table Mountains. With a population of only 17,000, this physical separation creates a distinct community identity but without isolation. Major highways through or near Golden provide convenient access to Downtown Denver, Denver International Airport and the mountain recreation areas. A network of parks and bike trails also connect Golden to the Denver metro area as well as to foothills recreation activities.
