Denver Colorado | Relocation and Condos Lofts For Sale

Modern day Denver was part of the Kansas Territory when gold was discovered in the area in July 1858. News spread and within two years, tens-of-thousands of miners "rushed" the area. In November 1858, William Larimer, a land speculator, staked-off a square-mile claim near the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River near the Auraria mining settlement. Larimer intended to create a city that would house merchants that would supply the miners. Being politically astute, Larimer chose the name Denver City hoping to gain favor with Kansas territorial governor James Denver who lived in Kansas City.

In 1859, the Provisional Government of the Territory of Jefferson was formed by Congress to govern over the goldfields with Denver City being home to the territorial legislature. In 1861, Congress organized the Territory of Colorado with the newly formed Colorado General Assembly creating 17-counties including Arapahoe County with Denver City as the county seat. The Arapahoe were an indigenous Native American people in the area. In 1865, Denver City became the territorial capital and shortened its name to Denver. In 1876, Colorado was admitted in the Union with Denver being name its capital in 1881.

The Gold Rush of 1860 was followed by a Silver Rush in the 1880´s. By 1890, Denver was the 26th largest city in the United States with a population of 100,000. With over 600,000 residents presently, Denver is the nation´s 24th largest city and the 21st largest statistical metropolitan area in the United States with a population in excess of 2,500,000 people.

In 1894, Molly Brown moved from Leadville Colorado to Denver. Although a notable volunteer for women´s and children´s causes, it wasn´t until the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 and that the "Unsinkable Molly Brown" became a permanent entry in U.S. folk history. Kathy Bates´ portrayal of Molly Brown in the 1997 film Titanic brought Molly´s legacy current. It is true that Molly helped people board life boats ahead of herself before she was persuaded to leave the sinking ship. It is true that Molly argued for her life boat to return to the area of the sinking ship to look for additional survivors.

In 1981 through 1989, television viewers become mesmerized by the Dynasty show. Starring John Forsythe as Blake Carrington and Joan Collins as his ex-wife Alexis, the show was rated number one in 1985. Some have speculated that the show was modeled after Denver billionaire Philip Anshutz. The Anshsutz family interests include oil, ranching, railroads, Downtown Denver real estate and entertainment ventures including Hollywood film making and professional sports teams. In reality, Mr. Anshutz is a private family man of conservative principals far removed from the Carrington family drama.

Many notable people have lived their childhood or adulthood in Denver including comedians Tim Allen and Roseanne Barr, politicians Condoleeza Rice and Karl Rove, the musical group The Fray and South Park co-creator Matt Stone. The most famous public figure who acted as the area´s ambassador of goodwill and good feelings was the late musician John Denver with his 1984 hit "Rocky Mountain High".

The City of Denver is near the top of many ranking lists for its quality of life. When considering moving or relocating to a new city, it is difficult to determine where to live. There are approximately 70 "statistical" neighborhoods in Denver as platted by the city planners. Despite the names given them by the city, neighborhoods begin to take on the names as they are referred to by the locals. These Urban Villages tend to revolve around an area´s amenities such as parks, shopping, cultural facilities, nightlife, restaurants, transportation, businesses, and such.

In finding the heartbeat of the city, I suggest looking for the "true" city dweller – those people living in condos, lofts, townhomes and flats. These are the people living the city day and night. These are the people that are most familiar with the city´s pulse.

Condo properties come in many shapes and sizes. They may be newly constructed, high-rise, or renovated warehouses, but they will usually be within walking-distance of the best a city has to offer.

I have found that Denver´s condos are concentrated within twenty-three Urban Village Neighborhoods. Since they are largely defined by city residents, not city planners, their boundaries may overlap and their names may vary depending on whom you are speaking with.

Most settlements originate near a water source. Denver began near the confluence of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek in today´s statistical neighborhood of Auraria. The present-day Downtown Central Business District of Denver is contiguous to this area to the east.

Downtown Denver is home to the city´s skyscrapers, turn-of-the-century railroad station, baseball stadium, cultural institutions, original warehouses and factories abutting the rail yard, the state capitol and federal buildings, city parks and the oldest residential subdivisions in the city. As with many older cities, many of these older areas fell into blight only to be restored and re-invigorate with new businesses and renovated residences. Old abandoned warehouses and factories were converted into retail, restaurants and residential. The Downtown Denver Urban Villages include Ballpark, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Curtis Park Five Points, Golden Triangle, LoDo Lower Downtown, Downtown, Riverfront Park and Uptown North Capitol Hill.

The Urban Villages of City Park, Congress Park, Park Hill and Stapleton can be found in Northeast Denver. Southeast Denver is home to the Urban Villages of Cherry Creek, Hilltop, Lowry, University and Washington Park. Berkeley, Highlands, Jefferson Park and RiNo River North are the Urban Villages of Northwest Denver. The Platt Park Urban Village is located in Southwest Denver.

Perhaps it is time for you to consider a Denver relocation and lifestyle.

Rex Manz is the employing broker and co-owner of Legacy Realty Of Colorado. Rex provides personal home buyer services in the purchase of Denver Condos Lofts & Flats, Boulder Townhomes & Condos, Boulder Homes, and Colorado Ski Condos & Properties for sale. For your convenience, Rex provides MLS Search services for Boulder Real Estate and Denver Real Estate without obligation. Rex writes the Colorado lifestyle blog Live The Rockies!.