Lakewood

Lakewood is a home rule city and the most populous municipality in Jefferson County, Colorado, situated immediately west of Denver along the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains. With a 2020 population of 155,984, Lakewood is the fifth most populous city in Colorado and the third most populous city in the Denver metropolitan region. The city lies at the junction of U.S. Route 6 and Colorado State Highway 121, approximately 62 miles (100 km) north-northwest of Colorado Springs. Rooted in Gold Rush-era settlement and shaped by federal investment during World War II, Lakewood grew from an unincorporated agricultural district into a dynamic urban center whose boundaries were not formally drawn until 1969. Today it anchors the western corridor of the Front Range Urban Corridor and is home to a substantial federal government presence, multiple institutions of higher education, and a vibrant arts community.

Geography and Physical Setting

Lakewood lies in the Colorado Piedmont on the western edge of the Great Plains, just east of the Front Range of the southern Rocky Mountains. The City of Lakewood sits at an elevation of 5,518 feet in Jefferson County. In 2020, Lakewood covered a total area of approximately 44.6 square miles (115.6 square kilometers).

Green Mountain, a 6,854-foot-tall (2,089 m) mesa, is located in the far west-central part of the city. The city is located in the watershed of the South Platte River, and several small tributaries of the river flow generally east through it, including Lakewood Gulch, Weir Gulch, Sanderson Gulch, and Bear Creek. Many small lakes and reservoirs are also found in Lakewood, including Soda Lakes, Bear Creek Lake, and Kendrick Lake.

Morrison lies to the west of Lakewood, Littleton to the south, Golden and Wheat Ridge to the north, and Denver to the east. According to the Köppen Climate Classification, Lakewood experiences a semi-arid climate with four seasons. Weather conditions are often changeable, with winters that can be very cold and snowy, interspersed with periods of mild weather, while summers can be warm to very hot.

History

Indigenous Peoples and Early Settlement

The area that would become Lakewood was originally home to the Nuche, or Ute, who traveled between the confluence of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek, the foothills, and the high country. The river basin was an important trading site for the Nuche, who also spent time on what became Lookout Mountain and the Rooney Ranch areas. The Ute Indians lived in the Front Range territory from the mid-16th century, while the Arapaho and Cheyenne nations arrived in the early 19th century and were later relocated to Oklahoma by the Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867.

Lying just west of Denver, the city of Lakewood began in 1859 as a farming community during the Colorado Gold Rush but did not incorporate until 1969, after World War II growth propelled a population boom. Lakewood's oldest surviving building in its original location, the Stone House at 2900 S. Estes Street, was built in the early 1860s, possibly as early as 1859.

Platting and Early Development

Urban development began in 1889 when Charles Welch and William Austin Hamilton Loveland, the newly retired president of the Colorado Central Railroad, plotted out a 13-block area located along present-day Colfax Avenue, west of Denver in the eastern part of Jefferson County. The name Lakewood originated long before the city existed, coming from the subdivision that William Loveland established in 1889 near West Colfax Avenue and Harlan Street.

The new town's development received a boost in 1893 following the establishment of its first electric tramway, which connected Lakewood with Golden and Denver. It became part of the Denver Tramway Corporation and was nicknamed "the Loop." The Lakewood, Colorado, post office opened on April 21, 1892, although much of the future city was served by the Denver, Colorado, post office.

Lakewood's clean air and country living appealed particularly to health-seekers. Medical theories of the era encouraged those who had contracted tuberculosis to seek out dry, sunny climates, believing damp air worsened the condition of the lungs. Colorado fit that description, and several tubercular institutions called Lakewood home in the early twentieth century, including the Jewish Consumptive Relief Society and the Brotherly Love Colony. In the early years, residents in the area also ranched, raised turkeys, and operated dairies.

World War II and Post-War Growth

Another significant part of Lakewood's past is the Denver Federal Center, which had started out as the Denver Ordnance Plant constructed during World War II. Formerly, the area had been a 20,000-acre cattle ranch. The town became a center of major activity following the establishment of the Remington Arms Company ammunition factory in 1941, which represented the largest federal government contract awarded in Colorado at that time. The arms company site is now occupied by the Denver Federal Center.

The street became popular among tourists and commuters alike, and Lakewood entered a new development phase with increased east-west access via Colfax or Sixth Avenue. Businesses that catered to travelers included motels, motor courts, restaurants, and automobile services along Colfax. Business owners used eye-catching neon signs and western motifs to attract passersby and vacationers. After World War II, as people flocked to the suburbs, West Colfax continued to develop and is today considered one of the state's hotbeds of midcentury modern architecture, known especially for the many motels that lined the street.

The first indoor mall was the Rome-themed Villa Italia, which opened in 1965. In 1973 the Casa Bonita restaurant opened its doors. A local favorite due to its combination of Mexican-inspired family dining and unique entertainment, Casa Bonita's popularity only increased after Colorado natives Matt Stone and Trey Parker portrayed the restaurant in their hit TV series South Park.

Incorporation

Several efforts to incorporate into a city occurred in the 1940s and 1950s, but they failed. In 1969, fears of annexation to Denver and a lack of law enforcement resources began to concern residents, who by then numbered over 90,000. Boundaries for the new city were drawn on a basement ping-pong table in the home of James Jeff "Jim" Richey, chairman of the Citizens for Incorporation.

The City of Lakewood was incorporated on June 24, 1969, as Jefferson City. Soon after, an election was held and the city's name was changed to Lakewood, due to an overwhelming dislike of "Jefferson City" and the belief that it would be confused with existing communities in Colorado and Missouri. The newly established city council and staff developed the first long-range planning document for the city in 1975, named "Concept Lakewood," and the first zoning ordinance was implemented in 1983.

Government

Lakewood maintains a council-manager form of government. Citizens elect a city council consisting of the mayor, who is elected at-large, and 10 city council members, 2 from each of the city's five geographical wards. The mayor and the council members assert the policies for the operation of the city government. The current City Manager, Kathleen Hodgson, is the longest-tenured City Manager in the State of Colorado. The current mayor is Wendi Strom.

The City of Lakewood falls into Colorado House District 26, parts of House District 24, and House District 23. Lakewood is also home to the Denver Federal Center, which houses the largest concentration of federal agencies outside of Washington, D.C. The Denver Federal Center is a large 623-acre (252-hectare) campus housing many agencies of the U.S. government and employing some 8,000 workers.

Economy and Infrastructure

Lakewood has more than 152,000 residents and covers approximately 44 square miles. Surrounded by several leading universities and research facilities, Lakewood has one of the most highly educated workforces in the country, with 36% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher. Lakewood's economy is diverse, and the largest employers are government. Companies headquartered in Lakewood include FirstBank, Einstein Bros. Bagels, and The Integer Group.

Lakewood is conveniently located along both Colfax Avenue, the major east/west thoroughfare, as well as the RTD W Line, which runs all day several times an hour. In 1988 the Regional Transportation District (RTD) purchased the right of way for what would become the West "W" RTD line along 13th Avenue through Lakewood. Major highway corridors traversing the city include Interstate 70, which runs east–west, and U.S. Route 6.

Over a quarter of Lakewood is dedicated to parks and open space, and many large centers of employment keep the economy stimulated. The city also has the Lakewood Technology Center, an industrial park whose tenants make products such as medical equipment and precision machinery.

Education, Arts, and Culture

The city has a notable student population, as it is home to three higher education institutions: Colorado Christian University, Red Rocks Community College, and Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. Lakewood also houses Lakewood High School, Green Mountain High School, Bear Creek High School, Brady Exploration High School, Alameda International High School, and International Baccalaureate schools in Jefferson County, as well as the private Colorado Academy.

The 38,000-square-foot Lakewood Cultural Center boasts a more than 300-seat theater and gallery space, while the Lakewood Heritage Center includes 15 historic structures and more than 40,000 artifacts, plus a popular outdoor amphitheater. Recently named a Certified Colorado Creative District, 40 West Arts along the West Colfax Corridor in the heart of Lakewood has more than 20 public art installations, multiple performing arts venues, and a dozen galleries.

Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park is a 20th-century museum and festival grounds with several historic buildings, located near Kountze Lake; the site formerly housed the Belmar family mansion. Belmar is a 1.14 million-square-foot, mixed-use urban development consisting of retail, dining, entertainment, hotel, contemporary apartments, and office space. The development features a central plaza that hosts concerts during the summer months and transforms into an ice-skating rink during the winter.

Green space and parks take up more than 25% of the city's area, incorporating 7,000 acres and more than 100 miles of trails. Bear Creek Lake Park is the city's most popular recreational destination, filled with a large fishing lake, paved and dirt biking and hiking trails, picnic areas, and a summer water-skiing concessionaire in a 2,600-acre park.