I was just looking at the data and it seems that this website has been visited by people from more than 30 countries over the past couple of days.  Some of those visitors – including many from the U.S. of A. – probably have no idea why Ralston Creek is named that (or why this is Ralston Creek Review); or why in Arvada, Colorado we have a Ralston Road and Ralston Valley High School and Ralston’s

There are no photos of Lewis Ralston. This is Benjamin Wadsworth, the founder of the City of Arvada

Crossing Event Center, as well as a lot of other things and places with Ralston in the name.  If anyone really thought about it, he or she might wonder if there is relationship between Ralston Creek and the Ralston Branch of the Chestatee River in Georgia.

Well, a lot of Denver Bronco fanatics know that the team had its first ever winning season under Coach John Ralston back in 1973; but it was a different Mr. Ralston who gave his name to all those things I have mentioned, almost by accident.

The Ralston we need to discuss here is Lewis Ralston, who was born in Georgia in the year 1804.  There are very few books recounting his life.  The best and most complete one is a thin volume (barely 120 pages) entitled Ralston’s Gold, by Lois Lindstrom¹, which was published in 2011 by Coloradream Publishing.  It seems to be the only book that company has ever published.

Lewis Ralston seems to have had an interesting life, lived as one of those people who almost made it big; who almost became famous; who was almost at the right place at the right time.  Continue reading →