Reports from along the Line: Golden, Colorado's Historical Capital

April 26, 2013, was an historic day! The new W Line, the first FasTracks line to be completed, opened for service.
 
A conclave of dignitaries, news media and general public eager for a ride on the new W Line gathered at the Jefferson County Government Center in Golden to officially "cut the ribbon" and open the line for service.

The W Line's 12.1 mile track connects residents, employers and communities from Denver Union Station in downtown Denver, through Lakewood and Golden.

A JEWEL IN GOLDEN
The farthest W Line station is at Sixth Avenue and Johnson Road, the site of the Jefferson County Government Center-Golden Station.

Dubbed the "Taj Mahal" by some, the main building's architectural features include a domed atrium and butterfly shape. The $60 million center houses the county government, a jail and sheriff's complex, a human services center, a courthouse and the district attorney's office. This 180-acre campus is historically the 11th home for the county's government.
 
PRESIDENTIAL INSPIRATION
Riders may be interested to know that the center's design was inspired by the work of Thomas Jefferson. Its atrium dome recalls Greek architecture and interprets Jefferson's Rotunda on the University of Virginia Campus. Incidentally, the county is named for Jefferson, the principal author of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and our nation's third president.
 
HISTORICAL CAPITAL
The City of Golden is rich with history. It was settled in 1859 after gold was discovered in Clear Creek. Golden City, as it was originally called, became the capital of the Colorado Territory in 1862.

According to history reported on Golden's website, the territorial legislature met there in a building that is now home to the Old Capitol Grill restaurant. The town was named for settler Tom Golden, one of the early gulch miners who panned gold in the valley of Clear Creek.
 
Today, Golden is a vibrant city of more than 18,000 residents and is home to the famous Coors Brewery and internationally acclaimed Colorado School of Mines.