Golden is a home rule city that is the county seat 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 honor of Thomas L. Golden. Golden City served as the capital of the provisional Territory of Jefferson from 1860 to 1861, and capital of the official Territory of Colorado from 1862 to 1867. In 1867, the territorial capital was moved about 12 miles (19 km) east to Denver City. Golden is now a part of the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, 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. It is also home to the National Earthquake Information Center, on the campus of Mines; and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a federally-funded science institution. Additionally, Coors Brewing Company, CoorsTek, Spyderco, Software Bisque, American Mountaineering Center, and Colorado Railroad Museum are located in the city. 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.
