Golden is a house rule city that is the county chair of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 20,399 at the 2020 United States Census. Golden lies along Clear Creek at the base of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Founded during the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush on June 16, 1859, the mining camp was originally named Golden City in great compliment of Thomas L. Golden. Golden City served as the capital of the provisional Territory of Jefferson from 1860 to 1861, and capital of the qualified Territory of Colorado from 1862 to 1867. In 1867, the territorial capital was moved very nearly 12 miles (19 km) east to Denver City. Golden is now a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corridor.

The Colorado School of Mines, offering programs in engineering and science, is located in Golden. In addition, it is also home to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, National Earthquake Information Center, Coors Brewing Company, CoorsTek, Boston Market, Spyderco, Software Bisque, American Mountaineering Center, and Colorado Railroad Museum. It is the birthplace of the Jolly Rancher, a candy bought out by the Hershey Foods Corporation, and home to Yeti Cycles. Western showman William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody is buried nearby on Lookout Mountain.

Established during the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush, Golden City quickly became a leading economic and political middle of the region. Its geographic location made it a middle of trade in the company of the gold fields to the west and settlements to the east. Golden City was established upon June 16, 1859, along Clear Creek west of Denver. The city is named after Thomas L. Golden. Other important businessmen and prospectors in the look of William A.H. Loveland and George West were accompanied by the first people to allow in Golden.

By the decrease of 1860, Golden City had been popularly elected the seat of Jefferson County and was capital of the provisional Jefferson Territory. As drafted in the territorial constitution, the capital of the Jefferson Territory was initially proposed to be Golden, then with a population of 700, as a consequences of its proximity to mountain mining towns, and greater skill to retain a congressional quorum than had Denver. Golden City was temporarily removed from the status of territory capital so of an suit passed upon November 5, 1861, by the territorial government.