Marker Logo HMdb.org THE HISTORICAL
MARKER DATABASE
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Golden in Jefferson County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
 

Golden and Clear Creek

 
 
Golden and Clear Creek Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Charles T. Harrell, July 4, 2011
1. Golden and Clear Creek Marker
Inscription. The history of Golden reflects the history of Clear Creek. Eons ago, this creek, then a raging river, coursed its way through the mountains, cutting out the canyon and leaving behind fertile soil where an abundance of plants provided food for wild animals. The animals attracted trappers to the area in the 1700s. The river also laid down the placer gold to be found by gold seekers in the mid-1800s, and provide underground aquifers supplying fresh spring water for the future settlement of Golden.

The French first named the waterway “Cannon Ball Creek” because of the size and shape of the river rock on the creek bottom. In 1832, the name was changed to Vasquez Fork, also commonly called the Vasquez River, named after Louis Vasquez, a fur trader who built his fort north of the confluence of the South Platte River and the Creek. Around 1859, the people of the region began calling it Clear Creek because of the clarity of the water at that time.

Background photo: Clear Creek running through Golden. Courtesy Colorado Historical Society.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Natural Features. A significant historical year for this entry is 1832.
 
Location. 39° 45.408′ N, 105° 13.358′ W. Marker is in Golden, Colorado, in Jefferson County. Marker is on Washington Avenue

Paid Advertisement
Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.
Click or scan to see
this page online
Bridge, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Golden CO 80401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Settler Farm Wife’s Initiative (here, next to this marker); First Bicycle Mishap in Golden (here, next to this marker); A Daring Rescue (here, next to this marker); Porcelain and Malted Milk (here, next to this marker); Fun on Courthouse Hill (here, next to this marker); Brewing on Clear Creek-Coors History (here, next to this marker); Gold (here, next to this marker); Irrigation and Farming (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Golden.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on November 27, 2011, by Charles T. Harrell of Woodford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 829 times since then and 8 times this year. Photo   1. submitted on November 27, 2011, by Charles T. Harrell of Woodford, Virginia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.

Share this page.  
Share on Tumblr
m=49908

CeraNet Cloud Computing sponsors the Historical Marker Database.
This website earns income from purchases you make after using our links to Amazon.com. We appreciate your support.
Paid Advertisements
Mar. 18, 2024