Cherry Creek

History

One of the first moves to suburbia for Denverites began in the late 1870s with a little development three miles east of Denver called Harmon. The area continued to develop for several decades into a small town. A town hall was built at Fourth Avenue and St Paul Street and still stands today. Many small truck farms and greenhouses could be found throughout the area. After World War I, the growth of the city continued eastward. Temple Buell, an early Denver architect, foresaw the movement and in 1925 bought land next to Cherry Creek. The increased use of automobiles moved shopping from downtown to outlying centers. Recognizing this, Buell announced in 1946 plans to build a shopping center on his land. After years of zoning hassles and problems with the Department of Highways, construction was finally started in 1950 – the doors of the Denver Dry Goods in Cherry Creek opened in 1953. With completion of the Sears Roebuck store on the other side of First Avenue a complete shopping center emerged. In 1955 a tunnel was built under First Avenue so shoppers could go safely between the two areas.

With the development of the exclusive shopping area, Cherry Creek became one of “the” places to live – the small homes and farms soon gave way to the building of larger homes, a trend that continues today.

Centered by the fashionable Cherry Creek mall and surrounded by nearby luxury housing, the upscale Cherry Creek neighborhood is a thriving, self-contained oasis for residents. Several hundred stores, boutiques, art galleries, salons, restaurants and cafes provide endless entertainment opportunities. At all times of the year, the 22-mile Cherry Creek path is a haven for biking, running, walking, in-line skating and similar sports. In summer, the Cherry Creek Arts Festival brings thousands to the area to celebrate artistic and musical work by artists and performers from all over the world.