The pages will be carefully cleaned of mildew, and the spine re-sewn and re-glued. We expect to have it back later this year.

Holland family members still live in the area. Artie Holland volunteers with the museum helping inventory and catalog our growing photography collection.

Museum member, Beyer Patton, recently donated this menu from the early 1960s. I hear the steak dinner is to die for. The prices are right too.

 

Holland House menu from the early 1960s (click on the image ot enlarge)

The Friends of Golden History Museums (FOGHM) is a nonprofit, 501 (c) 3 organization whose mission is to support and assist in development/fundraising activities for GHM and to provide support for museum programs and projects. Some of the typical projects we support include artifact management and restoration, exhibits and public programs, and capital needs such as replacing, updating or constructing new facilities. We also take on specific roles/projects to assist GHM in fundraising activities. Our largest efforts are around the Summer Solstice Music Festival and Black & White Night Fundraiser. With the Spring Equinox upon us this month, it won’t be long before you’ll be hearing about this year’s Summer Solstice event. We have been working with the Museums staff on planning this year’s event and we would welcome more help. Some of the to-do items we have yet to do include working on corporate sponsorships, the event program, advance ticket sales, identifying and securing beer/wine for sale (FOGHM’s largest single fundraising effort) and working the evening of the event. We hope you will join us in making this year’s event the best one yet and consider joining the Friends as an ongoing supporter of the Museums.

Please contact Stephanie Wood, FOGHM Chair, at 303-507-3104 or stephanie_wood@mac.com for more details. 

–Stephanie Wood, Chair, Friends of Golden History Museums

Roy Claar making chili

They are known locally for supporting Golden’s annual fireworks display, selling beer at Buffalo Bill Days, providing cider for Olde Golden Christmas, hosting the annual chili supper, and countless other service projects around town. Golden History Museums has even benefited from their generosity. They’re scheduled to build a fence around the new bee yard at Clear Creek History Park this spring. The Golden Lions Club signed their charter in 1943 and have served the Golden community ever since.

While going through a box of old photographs from the 1970s-1980s recently, I came across a number of images of the Lions Club in their element. I’m sharing a photograph of long-time member Roy Claar making chili for the annual chili supper.  Roy used to cook gallons of chili at home and then freeze it in old half-gallon milk cartons. All of the chili was stored in frozen food lockers at the old Golden Mercantile (today’s Capital Grill on the corner of Washington and 12th) until the day before the big event. The day before the supper all of the frozen chili was taken to the Golden Methodist Church to be thawed and later served. Cheers to good eating and community service.

The Lions served their 45th chili supper at the Golden Methodist Church this past January. 

–Mark Dodge, Exhibit & Collections Curator

Collections

Photo collection has been catalogued, digitized, and made accessible online. When it debuted, the new resource featured 1000 images from the original GHM collection as well as 1,000 newly acquired images. We also hired a part time collections assistant, Heidi Buhr, to help keep the project moving forward. The collection continues to grow and develop thanks to the tireless efforts of our staff and volunteers.

Newly adopted, standards-aligned collections policy. This policy puts direct emphasis on collecting only objects that have a strong tie to Golden history through the centuries. The tool outlines specific protocol for accessioning new objects, caring for collections, and if and when it might be necessary, removing objects from the collection. It also clearly delineates our permanent collection from our education collection (e.g. touchable objects and reproductions).

Historic structures have been assessed for care and restoration needs. The great news is that all of our historic structures are in sound shape. The challenge before us is that some require repairs—some minor, some significant—to keep the structures safe and sound for generations to come. The majority of our efforts in the coming months and years will be the restoration of the Astor House and environs to assure its stability as visitor crowds continue to grow at the site.

Research on both our community and our museums grows. One important change is that our curator, Mark Dodge, has shifted greater attention to growing and maintaining our collection, building our database, and disseminating history through changing exhibits. This fall we will publish the first of a new annual historic journal. In 2013, in honor of its 40^th anniversary as a museum and in preparation for some interpretive changes forthcoming, the first edition will focus on the Astor House.

Community

A new Teacher Advisory Committee was formed in late 2011 to gain better insight and understanding of how the museum can better serve students and teachers. The results of those meetings have thus far spurred two major initiatives. First, the launch of a brand new school-outreach program designed by our Student and Public Programs coordinator, Jessica Lira. This new standards aligned, games based program encourages group participation and discovery of Golden and Colorado’s past. We’re just wrapping up the beta testing portion of the program and will launch officially to schools this spring. The second major finding from the group was to reinvent the field trip experience in order to engage students even more actively. More on that to follow.

Evaluation is becoming an increasingly important part of all aspects of our work at GHM. Inspired by a deep desire to effectively serve our community, the staff is taking a great deal of time to learn about evaluation best practices. We also are fortunate enough to be the only Golden institution to be a part of a new $250,000 IMLS funded Denver-Area Evaluation Network effort to increase the evaluation capacity of museums regionally. We have and continue to attend training seminars, try new tools, and learn how to collect, analyze and report data. Our first initiative is a satisfaction survey about the Astor House Museum that can be taken online.

GHM prides itself as a member and leader within the regional and national professional museum community. A number of staff members represent GHM on professional on boards including Mark Dodge who served on the program committee for the Mountain Plains Museum Association annual conference, and myself who serves as chair of EdCom, the American Alliance of Museums professional network for museum education. GHM is also serving a host role for the 2013 Colorado Wyoming Association of Museums annual conference in Golden. GHM continues to be a dedicated member and leader within the Golden Cultural Alliance.

Golden History Museums continues to forge stronger relationships with the Golden community through new public programs and events, feedback and consultation councils, and community advisory boards that help guide strategy and fundraising. One of the biggest fruits of that effort was Black and White Night in October 2012.

Visitor Experience

Last summer, Clear Creek History Park offered the program “Summer on the Homestead.” The park was staffed 6 days a week between April 1^st and October 31^st with interpretive staff that greeted and engaged guests with demonstrations, tours, and activities. In all, some 14,000 people interacted with our park interpretive staff over the summer. For 2013, GHM is planning some modifications to the program that include more staff, volunteers, activities, and open buildings but specifically focused on the busy Friday, Saturday and Sunday traffic. During those times, admission to the park will be $3. All other days the park will be free and self guided.

Golden History Center has been maximizing public space for the past two years. It opened former storage space as exhibition space with the exhibit  “Turn it Up: Golden’s Musical Memories.” It also renovated the West Gallery and upgraded the lighting, completely transforming the space as a beautiful exhibition and meeting venue. This past fall, we finished some modifications to our lobby, moved the desk and opened reception space, as well as improved facility lighting. Additionally, we have instated an exhibit schedule with two new shows—one in spring and one in fall—each year.

At the Astor House, we’ve introduced the new program “Holidays at the Astor House” that enlivens the space with festive decorations, participatory activities, and family games. It’s a new experiment to refocus our energy on the space to make the visitor experience more appealing and relevant to families. As mentioned before, we are at the beginning phases of collecting information about the experience from visitors and will use the information to help inform changes that will be made there in the coming months. As also mentioned, the Astor House is in need of some important structural improvements that will preserve the building for generations to come. We’ve met with structural engineers and are formulating a plan for rehabilitation presently. But for now, the building is still standing strong and attendance increased in 2012 by 37%.

Golden history is not only appealing to locals, but to out-of-towners as well and we have stepped up our visibility efforts in the tourism market. GHM is an active participant in Visit Golden, the city’s tourism initiative. We printed a new brochure that is stocked around the metro region thanks to our partnership with Visit Denver. We also completely redesigned our logo and our website, giving GHM a fresh, inviting, and updated look.

Resources

Human resources are among our most valuable assets to the museum. We have a tremendous base of volunteers who help with everything from cataloguing artifacts, to guiding school groups, to tending to our chickens. The operations would not be possible without them. We’ve also seen terrific growth in our volunteer numbers, to the credit of our Interpretation coordinator, Katie March. We’ve refocused our attention on visitor services and have made a number of exceptional new hires for front line staff. And we’ve also brought on a part time collections assistant to help move forward the cataloguing and research of the collection.

GHM has continued to grow its revenue resources. After a value study in 2011, GHM slightly lowered its admission fee to $3 from $5. Our retention rate of walk-in visitors nearly doubled and revenue is up modestly. We implemented a new facility rental program which provides not only revenue for the museums, but a welcomed public service to renters who wish to hold their special occasions at one of our venues.

Our status as a new division within the Parks and Recreation Department has been a tremendous boon and allowed us to take advantage of tremendous professional staff including facilities, IT, human resources, and parks. It’s allowed us to focus on those things we do best: content and service delivery, and focus less attention on other matters. It’s also allowed us to take advantage of economies of scale and reduced expenses on housekeeping, maintenance, and garbage removal. The museums are also poised to offer their service and expertise to the City of Golden in respect to archiving, public services, and meeting spaces.

Looking Forward

• In 2013, GHM is working on the following initiatives to help fulfill the goals of our strategic framework:
• Celebrate the GHM’s 75^th anniversary with two new exhibits, special events, and the launch of a new annual publication in fall.
• Grow the volunteer program. Create new opportunities; implement a full annual training schedule and a recognition plan.
• Continue to make facility improvements to the History Center.
• Create a master plan for the renovation and reinterpretation of the Astor House Museum.
• Launch our classroom outreach program to area schools.
• “Summer on the Homestead” programming retool and launch at CCHP.

–Nathan Richie, Director

Charles Welch by Leila Reece

Almost 75 years ago the Golden History Museums (GHM), then called the Jefferson County Museum, commissioned a set of portraits commemorating notable individuals and their contributions to the Golden community. The paintings included the likes of William Loveland, George West, and William Sarell, among others. Museum artist Leila Reece painted the portraits and carpenter, Lesley Beasley, hand-carved each frame.

Fast forward to today. In celebration of Golden History Museums’ 75th birthday, it’s high time we do it again, but with a twist. We’ve invited Rick Souders, renowned photographer at Souders Studios in Golden, to create a new set of portraits. We’re planning to create about 14 portraits which will be exhibited at the Golden History Center in February of 2013.

This is where you come in. Who do you think best represents Golden today? Who are some of the most influential people in our city? Maybe they are artists or activists, teachers or researchers, politicians or business and industry leaders. Think about whose ideas and deeds have sparked dialogue and dissent, making Golden the best place in the world to live. GHM will take your nominations and then choose the finalists.

GHM is accepting nominations via our website. Fill out the online form with your contact information, the name of the individual you want to nominate (they must be living), what they did, and why they should be included in the exhibit. You can also call our Face to Face hotline during regular hours, at 303-278-3557. Operators are standing by to take your ideas. Nominations will be accepted until July 31 at 4:30 p.m. Submissions will be sorted by, but not limited to, the following six categories: politics, academics/education, religion/spirituality, arts and sciences, athletics, and business/industry. The museum will make final selections in August 2012.

Thanks for your help!

–Mark Dodge, Exhibit & Collections Curator

In my time here, I’ve discovered the joys of what Golden offers. The volunteers that I worked with are a dedicated and passionate group who love this place and the history of the town. The staff are professional, forthcoming, creative and fun. The infrastructure of the City of Golden government provides needed support and crucial maintenance functions.

It has truly been a full and enjoyable year and month here for me. Golden History Museums formulated a new strategic plan this past summer and has rolled out a plethora of new programming, designed and implemented a new collections policy, unveiled a redesigned website and provided more access to the History Park through expanded hours and new facilitated experiences.

It has been a joy to be a part of so many new and exciting initiatives at the museum. I will watch the continued progress of the museum from afar with great interest.

I’m headed to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science to be Manager of Visitor Programs. Hopefully I’ll see y’all around both here in beautiful Golden as well as at Museum of Nature and Science.

All the best to all and here’s a final “howdy folks!” for the road.

–David Allison, Interpretation and Operations Coordinator

Stories of the Street, and of the Town…

A MEMORABLE BASE BALL GAME; or,

The Contest Between The Golden Reds and the Yahoos.

The facts found here are from various sources. Most of them are taken from a dream of Harry Rubey’s. Some of them are borrowed from “My Vision, or the Hopes of a Base Ball Manager,” a new book that will be issued shortly by Bert Armstrong. It is expected that it will have a tremendous sale.

The Golden Reds Base Ball Team of 1903

THE TEAM.

Bert Armstrong was the manager ; Hal Rubey kept the dough;

Bill Mclntyre was captain , you bet he made things go.

Si Perkins stood upon first base; John Maughan often pitched,

But when his trusty right was tired, with Albertson he switched.

H. Hartzell stood behind the bat and called out, “Throw ‘em in,”

When Jasper, far in center field , was nursing his sore shin.

George Matthews smoothly played short stop and Hemberger the field,

While Taylor for their motto had the words, “We’ll never yield;”

But when a runner reached third base he always found John Gow,

And if he’d like to be put out, why John would show him how.

And sometimes from the country where the melon trees do grow,

H. Bates would come to substitute. He made a gallant show.

These made the team—The Golden Reds—that powerful combination

That played the game we’ll tell about, with its strange termination.

There never was a better game, there never will be one,

While this earth and its satellites go sweeping ’round the sun.

Now at this one word “satellites” I feel that some may stare,

But when they read this poem on all will be clear as air.

THE GAME.

Bright was the day, that noted day, that day of much renown,

When the nine from Yahoo played the Reds in Golden town.

West from the brewery, on the grounds, a great concourse assembled.

And when the teams appeared for work the air with plaudits trembled.

Joe Dennis led the shouting when the home team took the field,

His deep voice all the shingles from the houses nearby peeled.

Clark Wells’ tall form was plainly seen far, far above the rest,

A tear of gladness left his eye and trickled down his vest.

The Yahoos never had been downed, their fame reached ’round the world,

But Maughan standing in his box the leather calmly twirled,

And Clark then knew the Reds would win if skill and speed would do it;

He freely put his money up, nor thought that he might rue it.

The game begins. Now Maughan throws the first ball in so hot

It melts before it hits the plate and leaves naught but a spot.

The next ball goes less swiftly. The Yahoo in much ire

Strikes so hard in missing it his very bat takes fire.

But Bicking sees his trouble and brings water in his hat,

Puts out the fire ‘midst much applause, the batter standing pat.

The next ball thrown glanced on the plate, then caromed to the nose

Of Michael Cowley sitting near in blissful, sweet repose.

It took three men and fifty boys explaining things to Mike,

Meanwhile the pitcher showed his art and threw in many a strike.

And one by one they all fanned out, the Yahoos all went down;

Then rose a burst of wild applause, that thrilled throughout the town.

And Rubey danced a highland fling and chucked away his hat,

And confidant of vict’ry came the Goldens to the bat.

Will McIntyre the captain was the first one at the plate,

The girls all smiled and said that Will looked strictly up to date.

The Yahoo pitcher threw the ball; Will swiped at it his best;

It knocked the court house chimney off before it came to rest.

The multitude gave cheer on cheer, but later much did howl,

Because the umpire said the hit was nothing but a foul.

Alas, though Will did grip his bat and spit upon his hands,

The umpire called three strikes on him as there, amazed he stands,

Then Hartzell stepped beside the plate, the Yahoo threw the ball.

With unction Harry pasted it. Alas, it had to fall.

And where it fell, most sad to say, a Yahoo waiting stands,

And makes a cradle for the ball there in his willing hands.

And then came Deleus Quaintance – Si Perkins often named -

But he struck out most valiantly – for that he can’t be blamed -

And as he sadly left the plate was heard an awful thud;

‘Twas Armstrong sitting on the fence, who fell off in the mud.

To him it was disastrous. He fell so hard forsooth,

That when the people saw him rise, they found he lacked a tooth.

Seven other innings soon were played in manner much the same,

And not a single run was made, still doubtful was the game.

The houses all to left and right well riddled wore by fowls,

Which were so common as to cause naught but derisive howls.

A foul of Jasper’s killed a cow on that eventful day

Way out at the Industrial School a mile or more away.

And one Yahoo did lose his bat, he struck with such a will,

It flew north to the brick yard where it stuck into a kiln.

The pitchers threw the balls so hard that now and then the shock

Of their impact was plainly heard against old Castle rock.

‘Twas well the game did end that day, for this you may divine,

If they had kept on pitching they’d have ruined Coors’ big sign.

So thus the great ninth inning came, the Yahoos at the bat;

They did the best they could, of course, we’re satisfied of that;

But when their half was finished, a tear-drop dimmed each eye,

For not a single run was made, the game was still a tie.

Then stepped forth Windy Hemberger, a batter for the Reds,

He hits the ball, but stubbed his toe, and then a tear drop sheds.

And then George Matthews all serene picks up the heavy ash,

And as the ball comes swiftly on he hits it with a smash.

It strikes against Mount Zion and then bounces back again;

To see the Yahoos put him out made Dennis groan in pain.

But here comes Joseph Albertson from Ralston’s limpid stream

From husking pumpkins in the fields. His eye doth wicked gleam

Just like a Trojan hero’s shone there ‘neath Troy’s massive towers;

So Joseph’s shone, as on he came, resplendent in his powers.

With care he picks the strongest bat, the heaviest of the lot,

And as the ball toward him comes he swipes an awful swat.

There is a smash of cracking ash, a whistling of the ball,

And there it rises steadily within the sight of all;

And keeps on rising, while our Joe around each base doth run;

Nor stops the ball, but keeps on up, right on toward the sun.

At last the ball did disappear before each watching eye,

Right in the heights, far, far, far up in that blue summer sky.

Astronomers, who’ve watched it since, and figured day and night,

Say learnedly, that with the moon, it is our satellite,

And that its orbit ’round the earth is found by computation,

So you can find it for yourself if you’ve the inclination.

Thus was this game, this noted game, won by The Golden Reds;

Thus does this ball fly ’round us all, e’en when we’re in our beds.

But yet some say the Yahoos now a wicked scheme are hatching,

They say the ball is bound to fall, they’ll tie the game by catching.

An image of the original article from the Colorado Transcript published May 14, 1904