Denver v. Cleveland (Aurora, Lakewood, Arvada: real estate market, rentals, crime rate)

[tfox]

You can tell a lot about a city's history based on its growth patterns. Denver, of course, had a huge growth spurt from about 1880-1900, and much of the city core dates to that time. Its next real spurt hit in the post-war period, and this led to the growth of many of the original suburbs. Our last real boom hit in the energy boom in the 1970s-1980s, and many of the outer suburbs date to that time period, although growth continues till today.

I've never been to Cleveland, but being an older city, it no doubt had many of its suburban areas boom earlier than Denver's. A century ago, Denver was an important city in its region, but in comparison to Cleveland or any eastern city we were no doubt a very small town.

So, it is what it is. In hindsight, we definitely appreciate the architecture of earlier generations more than the utilitarian post-war period. While suburban Denver's twentieth century architecture may not be the most appealing to some, it's what we have. Fortunately, Denver really does have what I think is an impressive collection of historic buildings and homes dating back to its first golden age in the late nineteenth century, much more so than any other large city in the interior west. Compare that to say, Phoenix, which has virtually no structure in town older than about 1940 (with most of the structures built in the last decade or two).

[Carrie_Blair]

I thought this was going to be a trash talk thread about the Broncos versus Browns back during Elway's reign here in Denver! I'm glad to see that it's not because I grew up a Cleveland Browns fan and despised the Orange and Blue. It's a tough game for me when we play b/c my heart is with Cleveland but my home is Denver!

Anyhow....I'm sure you will love Denver. The winters are much less harsh and the summers much less humid.

What are you looking for? Where are you going to work? Do you want to live near mountains or city? Denver neighborhoods vary greatly. There are a bunch of threads talking about different neighborhoods if you want to go through them.

I have to ask, though, what is life like now up there with Brady Quinn on the roster and the Brownies already beating the Bengals this year? This after Lebron taking the Cavs to the NBA Finals and the Buckeyes getting to the BCS? You want to leave all that behind?????

[Katarina Witt]

Tell me that once you get out to Country club, cherry creek, and even further out from there to places around Glendale that it doesn't feel suburban.

Glendale is a suburb. My DD lives in SE Denver, near Cherry Creek, very urban feel to the neighborhood. I have been to Cleveland a few times, and it, like Pittsburgh, has some much older "inner-ring" suburbs that have some older architecture. But I definitely agree with Carrie, the winters are warmer and the summers less humid here. Though it does get awfully HOT in the summer for a Clevelander (or a Pittsburgher like me).

[Stagger Lee]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

Tell me that once you get out to Country club, cherry creek, and even further out from there to places around Glendale that it doesn't feel suburban.

Glendale is a suburb. My DD lives in SE Denver, near Cherry Creek, very urban feel to the neighborhood. I have been to Cleveland a few times, and it, like Pittsburgh, has some much older "inner-ring" suburbs that have some older architecture. But I definitely agree with Carrie, the winters are warmer and the summers less humid here. Though it does get awfully HOT in the summer for a Clevelander (or a Pittsburgher like me).

Glendale is an island in the city of Denver. All of the land on the border of glendale is Denver. Glendale just never incorporated into Denver. The "city" land around Glendale is all part of Denver, and it feels very suburban.

[Stagger Lee]

Originally Posted by tfox

You can tell a lot about a city's history based on its growth patterns. Denver, of course, had a huge growth spurt from about 1880-1900, and much of the city core dates to that time. Its next real spurt hit in the post-war period, and this led to the growth of many of the original suburbs. Our last real boom hit in the energy boom in the 1970s-1980s, and many of the outer suburbs date to that time period, although growth continues till today.

I've never been to Cleveland, but being an older city, it no doubt had many of its suburban areas boom earlier than Denver's. A century ago, Denver was an important city in its region, but in comparison to Cleveland or any eastern city we were no doubt a very small town.

So, it is what it is. In hindsight, we definitely appreciate the architecture of earlier generations more than the utilitarian post-war period. While suburban Denver's twentieth century architecture may not be the most appealing to some, it's what we have. Fortunately, Denver really does have what I think is an impressive collection of historic buildings and homes dating back to its first golden age in the late nineteenth century, much more so than any other large city in the interior west. Compare that to say, Phoenix, which has virtually no structure in town older than about 1940 (with most of the structures built in the last decade or two).

Everything you said is very true. However, there are many towns outside of cities in Ohio and North East that were just as old as the cities they are now suburbs around. THat is the point I am trying to make. You can leave areas like Philly, Boston, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and be in areas that still feel very urban and old, but are the suburbs. This was before the white flight that happend after world war 2. However, the white flight suburbs that happened in ever city across the nation in the 50s are in Denver as while as the N.E.

[Katarina Witt]

A little Colorado history.

Wheat Ridge was founded as a community in 1859. It was a farming community that supported Denver and nearby mining communities, and became the largest producer of carnations worldwide until the mid-20th century. Wheat Ridge did not incorporate until August of 1969, when it was faced with annexation by surrounding cities. It currently has three National Historical Sites and one Colorado State Historical Site. The Wheat Ridge Historical Society, in cooperation with the Colorado Historical Society and the City of Wheat Ridge, is in the process of restoring one of the first log cabins still on the same site. The building, which is known as the Baugh Cabin, is anticipated to have restoration completed before 2008.

In 1870, the Colorado Central Railroad laid tracks through the area on its route up Clear Creek to the gold fields. On 1870-12-01, Benjamin F. Wadsworth and Louis A. Reno platted a townsite along the railroad which Wadsworth's wife, Mary, named Arvada in honor of her brother-in-law, Hiram Arvada Haskin. Benjamin Wadsworth became the first postmaster of Arvada. Colorado was granted statehood on 1876-08-01, and the Town of Arvada was formally incorporated on 1904-08-24. A vibrant agricultural community, Arvada claimed the title "Celery Capital of the World."

Arvada grew rapidly during the latter half of the 20th Century. Arvada became a Statutory City on 1951-10-31, and a Home Rule Municipality on 1963-07-23. By the end of the millennium, the population of Arvada had exceeded 100,000.

The town of Louisville dates back to the start of the Welch Mine in 1877, the first coal mine in an area of Boulder and Weld counties known as the Northern Coalfield. The town was named for Louis Nawatny, a local landowner who platted his land and named it for himself. Incorporation came several years later, in 1882.[3]

The Northern Coalfield proved to be highly productive, and eventually some 30 different mines operated within the current boundaries of Louisville, though not all at the same time. During the years of peak production (1907-09) twelve mines were in operation in Louisville, including the Acme Mine whose two million tons of coal came from directly beneath the center of town. The presence of many independent mining companies in Louisville saved the town from becoming a "company town", wholly owned and dominated by a single mining company.[3]

Coal from the Northern Coalfield was weak and brittle, so mining only took place in winter months. During the summers the miners played in numerous local baseball leagues, and engaged themselves in digging basement bunkers and tunnels to connect the town's 22 saloons. These tunnels served not merely as a convenience during the snowy winter months, but also as an escape route whenever state or federal troops arrived to quell labor unrest and strikes by the United Mine Workers of America.[4]

From the time of Colorado's first strike in 1883 there were frequent labor strikes in Louisville, and the town was frequently placed under martial law. Mercenaries were hired by mining companies to spray machine gun fire across the line of thirteen saloons on Front Street, while the town's residents hid in their basements and tunnels. After the Ludlow massacre and brutal violence in Louisville in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a law prohibiting the use of immigrants by mining companies to break strikes.[4]

Eventually the coal remaining in the Northen Coalfield became increasingly uneconomical to mine, and the last coal mines operating in Louisville closed in the 1950s.

Lafayette was founded in 1888 by Mary Miller. Lafayette quickly became a part of the coal mining boom that all of eastern Boulder and southwestern Weld counties were experiencing, with the Cannon and Simpson mines being the largest and most productive. By 1914 Lafayette was a booming town with two banks, four hotels and a brickworks. Lafayette was also the location of a power station that served Louisville, Boulder, Longmont and Fort Collins.

In 1891, Donald Fletcher founded the town of Fletcher on the plains east of Denver, naming the town after himself. The real estate tycoon left two years later, leaving the new residents with bond payments for non-existent water. The town was renamed Aurora (Latin for dawn) in 1907, and remained a small community until after World War II.

Castle Rock was founded in 1874 when the eastern Douglas County border was redrawn to its present location. Castle Rock was chosen as the county seat because of its central location.

From Wikipedia

Denver's old suburbs do not have a lot of stately old buildings because people were living in log cabins and miner's cottages at the time.

[Stagger Lee]

That was very interesting.

[Katarina Witt]

Thanks. Louisville is very proud of its history; just celebrated its 125th "birthday" over Labor Day Weekend.

Just as in Pennsylvania, there is coal burning underground here. Some of Boulder County open space land has burning coal underneath with smoke coming up (Marshall Mesa). It's kind of cool.

[Stagger Lee]

Wait...........The town in Pa with coal burning underneath is abandoned. How is this not the case in Colorado? I never knew that about Colorado.

One old town that I do love out there is Golden. I use to call Golden Pittsburgh of the rockies. It reminded me of a blue collar old town like Pittsburgh near the rockies.

[Katarina Witt]

There is no town on the Marshall Mesa; it is county open space with a hiking trail. (Good for roasting marshmallows, J/K!)

I should have been more clear. There is no coal burning underground in Louisville (that I know of).