Article Contributed on: 4/29/2009 11:32:37 AM
In recent time people of the Golden area have started efforts to create a Golden community garden, which is to reside on the site of the old City Shops of far west 8th Street along Clear Creek. This effort is more than fitting for Goldenites to do, especially in Golden's sesquicentennial year, for Golden has a very special and significant place in Colorado's agricultural history. This garden is being created on the 150th anniversary of the planting of our region's very first garden, the garden of
David King Wall, whose garden here in this valley changed Colorado history. Before he came, this area had been told for years to be part of the Great American Desert, unfit for growing vegetables or crops, but with one garden Wall proved the prevailing thinking wrong and ushered in the agriculture that would become a backbone of the rise of Colorado.
Wall arrived in Colorado 150 years ago on April 29, 1859. He came with seven others from South Bend, Indiana, an experienced miner of the California Gold Rush pursuing a new gold rush in the west. The next day he and his party traveled up Clear Creek, passed the miners of Arapahoe City and between the mesas to the valley beyond. Wall said there he was greeted by this scene:
It was a glorious sight that presented itself to us as we passed through the gateway of high mesa and castle rocks. Here were fields of many grasses bisected by the dashing streams as cold as ice and clear as crystal. Close up to the mountain side we camped.
The 32-year-old native of Logan County, Ohio brought with him unusual provisions, a wagon full of garden seeds, even though the region was said to be inarable. Not convinced, Wall at the beginning of May chose a patch of ground where the railyards of Depot Street are now and commenced to plow it, and dug an irrigation ditch bringing water to it from Tucker Gulch. Using methods taught him by Franciscan friars in California, he planted different seeds and began raising his garden through May of 1859.
Meanwhile a miner from nearby Arapahoe City,
John Hamilton Gregory, had prospected in the mountains and found indications of gold, but a snowstorm forced him back home. Although discouraged and almost destitute he told his secret to a few people, among whom was Wall when he came to the valley on April 30th. Reportedly Gregory told Wall and his men "Boys, if you-all want to put up grub and transportation against my experience as a miner, we'll go up the creek and we'll get gold." Wall agreed to grubstake Gregory to provide him food in exchange for mining claims that might result with further prospecting efforts. Gregory and the Indiana prospectors set out into the mountains, while Wall stayed in the valley, and on May 6th Wall's faith was rewarded with the great strike that gave rise to the rich mines of Gilpin County and helped propel the Colorado gold rush into full boom.
Tending to his garden, Wall was soon rewarded with promising results. He was the first to permanently settle in the valley, making the place having been permanently settled since April 30, 1859, though for some time he was all alone. At the beginning of June he began seeing others coming in. On June 12 the wagons of the Boston Company rolled into the valley and they camped on the south side of Clear Creek, and company president
George West later told "Then the founding of a town here had not been thought of, and the only signs of permanent settlement were a little patch of ground which had been plowed by Mr. D.K. Wall, and planted with vegetables, and the commencement of a rude bridge across the swollen stream, by Mr. J.M. Ferrell." Around this time
William Byers, editor of the
Rocky Mountain News, published the first news account of the first agriculture garden in the gold rush region:
In coming down from the Mountains a few days since, we took a look at the farm of James K. Wall & Co., situated at the west foot of the Table Mountain, on Clear Creek, and were truly gratified to notice the rapid prograss of garden and farm produce. Peas were in bloom, and many other vegetables of corresponding forwardness. Friend Wall has a fine farm and stock ranch, and will ere long have a pleasant and beautiful mountain home.
By then many more were camped in the valley, and when Golden was founded on June 16th, Wall was one of the original nine founders. One of the original streets, today's 8th Street, was named Wall Street in his honor. On July 23rd, the
News gave a followup report on Wall's garden:
We called at the Ranch of D.K. Wall & Co., Golden City, the other day, and was astonished to find a garden that will compare with anything of the kind we have seen in the States. Peas, beans, onions, squashes, cucumbers, beets, etc., ready to gather, a sack of which was ushered to the News in Dave's usual philanthropic styles, which "all hands" pronounced the first and finest of the season. A large plat of melons, and evergreen sweet corn will soon be ready for delivery, and we doubt not but the miners will appreciate the endeavors of Messrs. Wall & Co., to prepare for them so lucious a treat at the base of the Rocky Mountains.
Our first harvest was such a success Wall was paid fabulous prices by the many area denizens weary of diets mainly of beans, game, flapjacks, sowbelly and very tough beefsteak. Wall had a veritable attraction, with not just vegetables but also wonderful flowers, and he opened a place in Auraria to sell his seeds. By November Wall was elected to the provisional Jefferson Territorial legislature, the people's government organized in lieu of federal recognition. On November 30 his brother,
John C. Wall, arrived to join him, and the two built a substantial 2-story false front frame store measuring 18x36 feet to sell their produce, right where the Golden Visitors Center stands now. It was Jeffco's first produce market.
When the spring of 1860 arrived the Wall brothers went right to work on their garden, expanding it substantially and onto the benchland overlooking the original plot. The
Rocky on May 23rd reported the Wall garden in detail:
In a recent visit to Golden City, we visited the splendid garden of D.K. Wall and Brother, adjoining that city on the East. Their garden is situated on the bench land some thirty feet above the river and with a southern exposure. It is irrigated by turning a small stream, that comes down from the north and conducting it along above the garden, through which the water is distributed by small trenches or plow furrows. Messrs. Wall have several acres of wheat that looks very finely, a large field of peas that were in blossom two weeks ago, several thousand cabbage plants that have been transplanted, and vast numbers of cabbage, tomato and other plants in hot beds, that are ready for removal. All kinds of garden vegetables, pie plant, sweet potatoes, strawberries, &c., are coming on rapidly. On less than three fourths of an acre, the Messrs. Wall last year realized fifteen hundred dollars beside an abundant supply of vegetables for their own use.
However, the spring of much promise soon hit a sorrowful note. John, only 27 years old, died very unexpectedly of fever on July 1st, possibly a victim of the Mountain Fever epidemic in the area. West in Golden's
Western Mountaineer newspaper wrote:
Our community has been called upon, during the present week to mourn the loss of one of our most esteemed citizens, Mr. John C. Wall, son of Mr. Benjamin Wall, of South Bend, Ind., and brother of Mr. D.K. Wall, of this city. Mr. W. came to this country and settled among us November last, and has, by his many estimable traits of character, endeared himself to all who have enjoyed his acquaintance. We sincerely sympathise with his afflicted relatives and friends. The funeral took place Tuesday afternoon at the residence of his brother-in-law, Mr. J.M. Veasey, and was attended by a large concourse of sympathising friends. The body has been placed in a sealed tin coffin, and deposited in a stone valut, constructed for the purpose, overlooking the garden which has been the scene of his labors during the spring just passed, and will be taken to his late home in Indianna, during the coming fall.
David persevered through the rest of the season, having about 20 acres under cultivation also including lettuce, onions, cucumbers, radishes, many watermelons, and more. In September the
Mountaineer told "Dave Wall came staggering into our office yesterday, not under the weight of imbibations, but of two bouncing watermelons, which he dumped upon our table, and invited us to "take and eat." We took and ate, and there are twelve basketsful left in his garden, which Dave will sell powerful cheap." In October the
News reported "A hundred bushels of tomatoes we believe could still be gathered, and wagon loads of beets, turnips and potatoes. On the low bottom, the frost has killed everything, but on the bench land a hundred yards distant, the tops of the tomato vines have barely been tipped by frost. Tomatoes are sold in Golden City at three dollars per bushel, whilst in Denver they bring twenty and twenty-five cents per dozen." Around that time the
Mountaineer reported "Our markets are now amply supplied with vegetables, an enormous supply having been raised. Tomatoes are selling at 25 cents per dozen, corn at 30, onions at 50, and watermelons at 25 to 75 cents each."
David remained in Golden, and on December 7, 1861 he was elected one of the original Jefferson County Commissioners. However, he resigned in June because he was moving out of Jefferson County, and presumably our original garden came to a close, though it may have lasted until being reportedly wiped out by grasshoppers in 1862. By then many farms and gardens had sprouted up around here, giving rise to such communities as Wheat Ridge, which did not surprise Wall at all because even before arriving in the Golden valley "The broad fertile valley of Clear Creek was impressing itself too strongly upon me to permit of my stopping then to mine any length of time." Wall had shattered the myth of the Great American Desert once and for all. In 1865 Wall returned to Indiana and married
Eliza Taylor, remaining there until 1871 when he returned with his bride to live in Denver. He became a prominent stage company and hauling operator, and in 1878-79 carried mail from the end of the South Park railroad to Leadville, never missing a mail despite the great snows. He lived long enough to know the reward of becoming historically recognized as the Father of Colorado Agriculture. As West said of Golden's first gardener, "He has served his generation wisely and well, and Colorado owes him a debt of gratitude."