Plat of Golden Gate City, as recorded in the Jefferson County property records

Golden Gate City was established in July of 1859 at the entrance to Golden Gate Canyon. Located strategically at the entrance of the road to the Gregory Diggings of today’s Gilpin County, it was an early competitor to Golden. The members of its town company were President Thomas L. Golden, Secretary William G. Preston, Charles Fletcher, H.J. Hawley, and J.S. Rogers. The place was named for Golden, who laid out the townsite and established the toll gate. Preston was the secretary of the town company. Soon a number of modest log structures popped up, and Lincoln’s Addition was platted on the southern edge. It was provided by S.W. Lincoln, a physician from New York.