Golden History

Golden is a small farming town in East Texas located approximately 80 miles east of Dallas, one mile off
U.S. Highway 69 on FM Road 779.

Golden’s history began in the late 1870's when C. W. Tucker built a saw mill near the present-day Golden. When the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad built a line from Greenville to Mineola in 1882, Golden was “born” and was named after a railroad construction engineer named John G. Golden. With the arrival of the railroad, Golden began to flourish and became a small town. In 1885, the post office was founded and Julius C. Lamberton was appointed postmaster. By 1890 Golden’s population had increased from fifty to one hundred.

At this time, Golden supported two saw mills, a shingle mill, cotton gin, three churches, and a school. Originally, the school south of Golden was named the Friendship school, but it later moved into town and became the Golden school. Although it was a farming community, the railroad’s tie-cutting industry played a very important role in the economy and prosperity of Golden.

In the early to mid 1900's, Golden consisted of the railroad, bank, drugstore, “The Golden Rule” newspaper, pickle factory, dry good/grocery store, shoe shop, hotel, hardware store, school, cotton gin, post office, barber shop, black smith shop, automotive repair shop, gas station, and churches. Many of these businesses disappeared during or shortly after the depression. Others dwindled when the train stopped coming to Golden around 1955. Until the 1950's, Golden had a telephone system which was operated by a switchboard. The phone company was purchased from Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Mason in 1953 by Peoples Telephone Cooperative Inc. in Quitman, Texas. The school consolidated with the town of Alba in the fall of 1956 forming the Alba-Golden Independent School District.

In the early years, Golden farmers produced cotton, corn, and watermelons. Now sweet potatoes are commercially grown and are the major crop.

Today, Golden is the home of the Golden Sweet Potato Festival. It is still small but has several businesses. Not all are located “downtown” but are considered in the Golden area. These include: a restaurant, a “Domino Grill”, RV park, gas station, country grocery store, two automotive repair shops, post office, community center, pavilion, livestock barn, mini-park, “Freedom park”, four churches, a superior public water system, a bed and breakfast, a florist, a public school, and numerous sweet potato packing houses. Within the next year, plans are being made to open an art gallery across from the post office.