A Walk Through Denver’s Oldest Neighborhoods and Their Storied Past

Enjoy learning more about Colorado’s capital city by walking some of Denver’s oldest neighborhoods where visitors can still glimpse the rise from a Wild West outpost to one of America’s thriving cities.

Read More: How Colorado’s Towns Hold Onto Their Wild West Roots

What essential stops would you include in a historic walking tour of downtown Denver? Hit the message button on our app to share, and keep reading to see our top three stops to visit for a look at the city’s storied past.

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Essential Stop: Denver’s Oldest City Block

For our first stop on our neighborhood tour of Denver, we go back to the beginning to visit historic Larimer Square. This is Denver’s oldest city block, dating back to 1858. If there is a place that could be called Denver’s “original” downtown – it is Larimer Square.

The Victorian-era buildings are home to boutiques and restaurants today but were once saloons and brothels. As you walk the neighborhood, look for interpretive plaques that will introduce you to General William Larimer and explain the early days of the city. Denver’s Chalk Art Festival in early June is a great time to walk the square and read the plaques.

Essential Stop: A Most Prestigious Hill

History buffs love visiting Denver’s Capital Hill. It’s been home to many of Denver’s wealthiest pioneers as the most prestigious residential area.

Walking through Denver’s Capital Hill neighborhood includes a chance to see the Capital, the Molly Brown House Museum, the Governor’s Residence at Boettcher Mansion, and Denver’s most haunted attraction the Cheesman Park Pavillion.

Read More: Colorado is Home to America's Longest Continuous Street

Essential Stop: Five Points

Denver's Five Points is a tribute to the infamous 5-way intersection at Washington Street, 27th Street, 26th Avenue, and Welton Street. Streetcars of the early 1880s were the first to display a sign that read "5 Points" instead of listing the entire intersection.

Five Points is the place where jazz legends like Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday would spend their time entertaining. It’s an area with many Victorian-style houses that help preserve the neighborhood. There are murals and markers along Welton Street celebrating the area’s history, which you can learn even more about at the Black American West Museum.