Cherry Creek

Cherry Creek is in many ways synonymous with Denver. Wild cherries grew in some abundance along the banks of the creek in the late 1870’s, and explorers led by Colonel Dodge found “cherries very plentiful” along what was most probably Cherry Creek in 1835. The first known use of the name was found on Lt. Abert’s map of 1845. The creek itself rises up from the Palmer Divide south of Denver, and drains a large semi-arid area to Denver’s southeast. It was at Cherry Creek and the South Platte River that gold was discovered in 1858, insuring the usually lazy creek’s place in history. But not always lazy. Although the creek had flowed out of its banks many times before May 1864, Denver did not exist to be washed away. William Byer’s Rocky Mountain News was washed away that night, along with much of the city lining the banks of the creek.

The first efforts to settle upstream from Denver came as the result of stagecoach traffic coming to Denver along the banks of the creek. Today’s 4-Mile House Historic Park is a carefully preserved example of many such stage stops that followed the creek southeast of Denver. The first settlement of the neighborhood now known as Cherry Creek began life as a farm claimed by Edwin P. Harman and his wife Louise in 1871. By the early 1880’s, the area was home to a few truck and dairy farmers, and a town was platted in 1885 and incorporated as the town of Harman in November, 1886. By the time the crash of 1893 hit, Harmon had a school, city hall, and a street car line to Denver. In spite of resistance by the town’s residents, not wanting to become part of sinful Denver, the bankrupt town voted to become part of Denver in 1895.

In 1925, Temple Buell had acquired the land east of the Denver Country Club and north of The Cherry Creek with the idea of future development. The shopping center built by Buell was approved by Denver in 1947. A suburban shopping center was a new and daring idea at the time. Buell used the area as a city dump until the Army Corp of Engineers built the present Cherry Creek Dam south of today’s I-225 in Arapahoe County in 1950. With the treat of flooding gone, Buell built his shopping center, which became one of the great success stories of Denver. Before his death in 1990, Buell recognized the original center needed redevelopment and began the building that stands today at 1st Avenue and Fillmore.

Today, The Cherry Creek Mall is Denver’s #1 tourist attraction. The area to the north of 1st avenue, known as Cherry Creek North teams with high end shopping, salons, and excellent restaurants. Travelers from the world visit  Cherry Creek Arts Festival is held every July.

The area is brimming with upscale town homes which mix with older detached dwellings, creating a comfortable ambiance within easy walking distance of the shops and the mall. The Cherry Creek itself, long since contained behind the dam to the southeast, now serves as a recreational trail, joining Cherry Creek State Park with downtown Denver, meandering its quiet way along the south side of Denver’s most exciting neighborhood.

Today’s home buyer will delight in all that is Cherry Creek. While many of detached homes have made way for upscale town homes, it is still possible to find great single family homes. Excellent condominiums are available in the neighborhood, and luxury town homes are in abundant supply, with prices from the $400’s to 3 million. Living in Cherry Cree means you can walk to Denver’s finest shopping, many of the cities best restaurants, and the neighborhood ambiance that makes Cherry Creek lively and exciting.

Driving Time to Major Destinations from Cherry Creek

Denver International Airport: 35 minutes
Downtown Denver: 10 minutes
Denver Technological Center (DTC): 25 minutes
Inverness/Meridian: 35 minutes
Boulder: 50 minutes
Castle Rock: 45 minutes