Larimer Square survived because someone fought to save it

Larimer Square is one short block, but it carries a lot of Denver’s beginning. The street is named for an early founder, and this block is near where the town first took root in the late 1850s.

By the 1960s, Denver was clearing old downtown buildings for urban renewal. Many blocks came down. This one did not, because a private preservation effort, led by Dana Crawford, bought and fixed up the deteriorating Victorian-era storefronts instead of letting them fall. The block was reborn with shops and restaurants and later protected as a historic district.

Why this matters: Larimer Square is a real example of how much of old Denver was lost, and how a single block was kept. The brick buildings you walk past are the genuine 1800s commercial fabric, not a replica. If you care about historic Denver, this block is a touchstone, and its survival explains why the city later took preservation more seriously.

For the documented history of the district, see History Colorado rather than promotional retellings.