Cherry Creek of Denver

The neighborhood of Cherry Creek in Denver is characterized by a mixture of the old and new. The properties here are built in a range of different ages and styles, with condos, townhouses and some single family homes to be found. There is also a blend of residential and commercial areas within Cherry Creek, with quiet tree lined streets alongside some of the most popular shopping areas in Denver. The commercial side of Cherry Creek is focused along East First Avenue, where both the Cherry Creek Shopping Center and the Cherry Creek North shopping district are to be found.

The Cherry Creek Shopping Center caters to the upscale market, with many designer boutiques and chains.

Cherry Creek North is a 16 block district that contains numerous art galleries, boutiques, spas and restaurants. It is the hub of social activity in the neighborhood, with many events taking place in Fillmore Plaza, including Films on Fillmore during the summer, the North Ice Rink in the winter and the local Arts Festival, which is usually held around the Fourth of July. A local community paper, the Cherry Creek News provides information on upcoming events.

Eating out in Cherry Creek can be particularly interesting due to the wide selection of cafes, coffee shops, bars and restaurants in the commercial areas of the neighborhood.

The neighborhood has excellent transport links to the rest of the city, with four major roads and a number of bus routes servicing the area.

Cherry Creek is one of the more expensive and sought after addresses in Denver. It is popular with young professionals, older couples who have moved back from the suburbs after their children have left home, and people who are looking for a culturally active neighborhood.

The Cherry Creek neighborhood is named after the creek that flows through it. This creek has played an important part in the history of the city. It was due to the discovery of gold in the creek that led to the foundation of Denver. A small amount of the precious metal was discovered in 1858 by William Green Russell. This find inspired General William Larimer to lead a group of men out of Kansas Territory in order to create a new settlement in the area. This settlement was to be known as Denver City, in honor of the governor of their home territory of Kansas, James Denver. Denver City was established on one side of Cherry Creek, while a rival settlement, Auraria had already been founded on the other side. Despite an initially difficult relationship, the two communities joined in 1860 to create Denver.

The creek has previously also held some importance for the local Arapaho, who gave Cherry Creek its name because of the abundance of choke cherries that grew wild along its banks. The point where Cherry Creek met the Platte River, and which is now the site of Denver, was a traditional Arapaho camping ground. When traders first came to the region, it was at this confluence that they met to trade with the Arapaho.

Residents of Cherry Creek have plenty of open space in which to enjoy the good weather or take some exercise. There are two parks, Pulaski and Manley, as well as the Cherry Creek bike track. Both Pulsaki and Manley parks have picnic areas and children's playgrounds, while Pulsaki Park also has tennis courts. The winding paths along the banks of Cherry Creek provide a peaceful contrast to the busy shopping areas in the neighborhood. The neighborhood hosts an annual foot race called the Cherry Creek Sneak, which takes competitors on a 5k route around the local streets, parks and bike paths.