Golden in Jefferson County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Fun on Courthouse Hill
Photographed By Charles T. Harrell, July 4, 2011
1. Fun on Courthouse Hill Marker
Photo Captions:
Above: The Ramblers Bicycle club, circa 1888. Courtesy Colorado Historical Society.
Right: Jefferson County Courthouse. Courtesy Denver Public Library, Western History Collection.
Background Photo:
Jefferson County Court House, Golden, 1895. Courtesy Denver Public Library. Western History Collection.
Inscription.
Fun on Courthouse Hill. . “Courthouse Hill,” which is Washington Avenue south of 14th Street, was a favorite location of settler children. In the winter, sleds packed with eager youth picked up sufficient speed on the Hill to be able to coast across the Washington Avenue Bridge. Some traveled as far as the Railroad Depot on 8th Street. This site was not just for winter entertainment; one newspaper had an account of children joy-riding in a wagon down Courthouse Hill., Not only children enjoyed Courthouse Hill. It was also the site of the first bicycle hill climb competition recorded in Colorado. It was reported in the Colorado Transcript on September 12, 1892, as follows:, “The Rambler wheel Club of Denver came up to Golden Sunday to have a hill climbing contest…as this is the first event of its kind it was very interesting to the Wheelmen and the spectators. The course was over the steep sidewalk on Courthouse Hill and all of the contestants did good work considering that this is one of the toughest short hills in the state to climb owing to the steep pitch and the narrowness of the sidewalk. …First…was won by J.C. Epeneter, six times; second J.A. McGuire, five times; third A.V. Staufer, four times. The boys were highly pleased with the interest Golden people took in the contest and expressed a desire to try the hill again with a larger number of contestants. You are always welcome boys.”, Golden was a frequent tourist destination for cyclists in the late 19th century. As the article says they were always welcome, as they are now. Here we see the Denver Ramblers on Washington Avenue, in 1889. this photo, which is shot from the direction of the bridge, shows the courthouse in the far background at the right, atop Courthouse Hill.
“Courthouse Hill,” which is Washington Avenue south of 14th Street, was a favorite location of settler children. In the winter, sleds packed with eager youth picked up sufficient speed on the Hill to be able to coast across the Washington Avenue Bridge. Some traveled as far as the Railroad Depot on 8th Street. This site was not just for winter entertainment; one newspaper had an account of children joy-riding in a wagon down Courthouse Hill.
Not only children enjoyed Courthouse Hill. It was also the site of the first bicycle hill climb competition recorded in Colorado. It was reported in the Colorado Transcript on September 12, 1892, as follows:
“The Rambler wheel Club of Denver came up to Golden Sunday to have a hill climbing contest…as this is the first event of its kind it was very interesting to the Wheelmen and the spectators. The course was over the steep sidewalk on Courthouse Hill and all of the contestants did good work considering that this is one of the toughest short hills in the state to climb owing to the steep pitch and the narrowness of the sidewalk. …First…was won by J.C. Epeneter, six times; second J.A. McGuire, five times; third A.V. Staufer, four times. The boys were highly pleased with the interest Golden people took in the contest and expressed a desire to try the hill again
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with a larger number of contestants. You are always welcome boys.”
Golden was a frequent tourist destination for cyclists in the late 19th century. As the article says they were always welcome, as they are now. Here we see the Denver Ramblers on Washington Avenue, in 1889. this photo, which is shot from the direction of the bridge, shows the courthouse in the far background at the right, atop Courthouse Hill.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Sports. A significant historical month for this entry is September 1910.
Location. 39° 45.409′ N, 105° 13.359′ W. Marker is in Golden, Colorado, in Jefferson County. Marker is on Washington Avenue. Marker is located on the Washington Avenue Bridge. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1060 Washington Avenue, Golden CO 80401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on December 1, 2011, by Charles T. Harrell of Woodford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 821 times since then and 38 times this year. Photo1. submitted on December 1, 2011, by Charles T. Harrell of Woodford, Virginia. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
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