The neighborhood of Capitol Hill is the most historic and diverse in Denver. It is also the most populated neighborhood in downtown because of the parks, retail areas, entertainment venues and transportation infrastructure. There are 10 neighborhoods within the neighborhood of Capitol Hill. The Cherry Creek Arts Festival and Films of Fillmore make their homes here.

The Central Business District is the upper end of Lower Downtown. Buildings have been renovated into apartments, condominiums and lofts to accommodate the increase in people wanting to live in downtown. Entertainment at Denver Pavilions, and shops at Larimer Square and Tabor Center are an easy walk for Central Business District residents as is the Auraria Higher Education Center.

Central Platte Valley is the newest neighborhood in downtown. Eventually over 3 million square feet of office, retail, restaurant, hotel space will be found in Central Platte Valley. There are 90 acres of parkland in this neighborhood, much of it along the South Platte River, and the largest Skate Park in the US. Entertainment venues such as the Pepsi Center, Children’s Museum of Denver, Six Flags Elitch Gardens Amusement Park, and Colorado’s Ocean Journey are in Central Platte Valley.

With its diversity in residential offerings, Curtis Park is one of the most accessible neighborhoods for downtown workers. Developed in the late 1860s, Curtis Park was, and is, a desirable place to live north of downtown. Five Points is a busy retail, restaurant and small business area, located mostly on Welton Street.. The Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library, the Black American West Museum Heritage Center, Roundtree Art Center, Brother Jeff’s Cultural Center and Café, and the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble studios are located in Five Points.

The neighborhood of Golden Triangle is returning to a family neighborhood with new construction and renovation. Cultural venues include Civic Center Park and the Civic Center Cultural Complex featuring the Denver Art Museum, the Central Denver Public Library, the Colorado History Museum, the US Mint, and the Byers-Evan House.

Highland is west of I-25, overlooking downtown proper. The largest population of children under the age of 5 in any downtown neighborhood is found in Highland.

The Jefferson Park neighborhood is located south of Highland and also overlooks downtown Denver from the west side of the I-25. Overpasses and bridges give Jefferson Park residents easy access to all of downtown.

La Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhood is among Denver’s oldest. The Denver Civic Center, Asian and Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, Sunken Gardens Park, and Museo de las Americas, all on Santa Fe Drive, are landmarks in this neighborhood.

Lower Downtown is filled with art galleries, restaurants, pubs, clubs, and retail stores. The Cherry Creek trail connects LoDo to other downtown neighborhoods, and historic Denver Union Station gives residents access to rapid transit.

Uptown is an eclectic neighborhood of new construction mixed with historic mansions, hospitals, restaurants, retail space, office buildings and gathering places for the neighborhood residents. The Uptown neighborhood is gaining popularity because it allows easy access to all of downtown..

Whittier neighborhood is north of Uptown and east of Five Points and Curtis Park. A new community center provides a gathering place. St. Ignatius Loyola Church is a prominent landmark in Whittier, not only for its red brick exterior and twin bell towers but for the role the church played in the racial integration of Denver, especially after WWII when African-Americans moved into the area just west of the church.

Denver, nicknamed “The Mile High City” and “Queen City of the Plains,” was founded in 1860 and became the capital of the Colorado Territory in 1861 and then of Colorado when it became a state in 1876.