GOLDEN

city, seat (1861) of Jefferson county, north-central Colorado, U.S. It lies on Clear Creek at the foot of Lookout Mountain at an elevation of 5,675 feet (1,730 m), just west of Denver. Founded as a mining town in 1859, it was named after Tom Golden, a miner. From 1862 to 1867 Golden was the capital of the Colorado Territory, rivaling Denver as the state's chief settlement. Its manufactures now include porcelain, cans and bottles, units for nuclear reactors, and cement blocks; the city is also the site of a large brewery. Golden is the seat of the Colorado School of Mines (founded in 1874). Inc. town, 1871; city, 1879. Pop. (1991 est.) 13,444.