Golden, Colorado

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Downtown Golden, Colorado
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Downtown Golden, Colorado

Golden, Colorado lies at the mouth of Clear Creek at the edge of the foothills of the Front Range. Founded on June 16, 1859 and named for Thomas L. Golden, it is the county seat of Jefferson County and a suburb of the city of Denver. The Colorado School of Mines, offering programs in mining and engineering, is located in Golden. Also there are the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Coors Brewing Company, and the Colorado Railroad Museum. It is also the birthplace of the Jolly Rancher, a candy bought out by the Hershey Foods Corporation. Famous western showman William F "Buffalo Bill" Cody is buried nearby on Lookout Mountain. As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 17,366.[1]

Contents

[edit] Geography

Location of Golden, Colorado

Golden is located at 39°44′49″N, 105°12′39″W (39.746837, -105.210911)GR1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 23.3 km² (9.0 mi²). Its geographic features include North and South Table Mountains, Mount Zion, Lookout Mountain, Clear Creek, and several gulches. Mount Zion is clearly visible, with a large white M, for the Colorado School of Mines college.

Golden is mostly situated just north of Interstate 70; U.S. Route 6 connects most of town to it. Colorado State Highway 470 starts in Golden.

Golden was one of the first towns established in Colorado being on the way to the gold fields. It is about 15 miles from the center of Denver, and it is now regarded as a western suburb of Denver and part of the Denver Metropolitan Area. Golden was the second territorial capital of Colorado, holding that position from 1862 to 1867. Golden (Jefferson County) is home to some of the world's best mountain biking. Lariat Loop Road is a common bike route, with several hairpin turns up the side of Mount Zion and Lookout Mountain.

Golden is scheduled to be the endpoint of the West Corridor in Denver's FasTracks commuter rail network by 2025.

Golden as seen from Mount Zion.  In the center is the Coors plant with the North and South Table Mountains to the left and right, respectively.  The Jefferson County Courthouse is visible to the far right. A panoramic photograph, the view at the left end is towards the north, the view in the middle is due east, and the view at the right end is towards the south.
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Golden as seen from Mount Zion. In the center is the Coors plant with the North and South Table Mountains to the left and right, respectively. The Jefferson County Courthouse is visible to the far right. A panoramic photograph, the view at the left end is towards the north, the view in the middle is due east, and the view at the right end is towards the south.

[edit] Demographics

Coors Brewery in Golden, Colorado
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Coors Brewery in Golden, Colorado

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 17,159 people, 6,877 households, and 3,913 families residing in the city. The population density was 735.3/km² (1,905.1/mi²). There were 7,146 housing units at an average density of 306.2/km² (793.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.66% White, 1.03% Black or African American, 1.05% Native American, 2.99% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.98% from other races, and 2.24% from two or more races. 6.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,877 households out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.1% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the city the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 16.9% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 120.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 118.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $49,115, and the median income for a family was $67,414. Males had a median income of $41,822 versus $32,413 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,257. 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.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Colorado (CSV). 2005 Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division (June 21, 2006). Retrieved on November 16, 2006.

[edit] External links


The Flag of Colorado
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