Historic Neighborhoods
FIVE POINTS
Five Points is considered the “Harlem of the West” due to its long jazz history. It was the first predominantly African American neighborhood in Denver, and in the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s, was home to over fifty bars and clubs, where some of the greatest jazz musicians performed, such as Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis and many others.
GLOBEVILLE
Each day, commuters navigate I-70 and I-25 through Denver’s Mousetrap without a glance at the neighborhood below. There isn’t time to read the Polish inscription on the steeple of St. Joseph’s Church or view the tiny homes immigrants built. But Globeville has stories to tell. A little history and a walk through the community will bring them alive.
ELYRIA & SWANSEA
When Elyria and Swansea were annexed into Denver in 1902, street names were changed to Denver’s grid system, and Denver now provided many city services including police and fire. Still, Elyria and its mostly residential neighbor to the east retained many of the characteristics of a small town, but with a variety of interesting sites within walking distance: the nearby stockyards, Riverside Cemetery for a quiet walk or picnic, and gravel pits for swimming.
COLE
Cole is one of Denver’s oldest neighborhoods and its history began in 1871 with the platting of Ford’s addition to the City of Denver. Two brothers, Hiram F. and William R. Ford, who were cattle ranchers in the area, drew out the first boundaries at 32nd Avenue, Downing Street, 35th Avenue, and High Street. The neighborhood then officially became part of the City of Denver under the Territorial Sessions laws of 1874.