Established as a gold-rush town, Golden City quickly became a leading
economic and political center of the region, being a center of trade between
the gold fields and the east, a crossroads and gateway of important roads
leading to the mountains, and a center of area industry. By the end of 1860,
Golden City had been popularly elected the seat of Jefferson County and was
capital of the provisional Jefferson Territory. While the town lost much of its
populace and leading citizenry during the American Civil War for several
reasons (ranging from military to economic), Golden City became capital of the
federally
