Historical Preservation

Pioneer cabin of John W. McBroom on Bear Creek; date unknown.

Littleton residents are very proud of the city's history. Littleton began as a farm community in the 1860s, focused on growing food for the rush of miners headed for the gold fields.

In 1871, Littleton's future was assured when the Denver & Rio Grande railroad line came through Littleton and built a rhyolite stone depot. By 1887, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe tracks reached Littleton, and a "railroad style" wood frame depot was built.

The community incorporated in 1890, and had an active city government and a volunteer fire department. By the turn of the century, Littleton was a well-established community with many of homes, stores and churches. In 1904, Littleton was named the county seat and the townspeople built the magnificant Arapahoe County Courthouse on the east end of Main Street. In 1917, a new Carnegie Library was erected on the west end, and the stunning Town Hall was built in 1920 in the center of town.

St. Mary's Catholic Church, 1903.

Churches were the anchors for the social fabric of Littleton right from the start, serving not only as spiritual guidance but also as social contact for the early settlers. Four churches were established by the turn of the 20th century, and the number grew to thirty over the next 100 years. Immigrants from Russia, Mexico, Vietnam, and Bulgaria came to Littleton, bringing their own religions and traditions.

After World War II, both train depots were abandoned, as post-war highway construction served the exploding automobile population. The wooden-frame Santa Fe Railroad Depot was rescued by concerned community volunteers and began its new life as an art center for the Littleton Fine Arts Guild. The stone Denver & Rio Grande depot was renovated but sat empty for many years before it was moved in 1998 to its present location in downtown Littleton where it serves as the crown jewel station of the Denver metro area's Southwest Light Rail line.

The Littleton Municipal Courthouse (formerly the Arapahoe County Courthouse) at its rededication in May 2000.

Many of Littleton's beautiful old buildings have been saved from demolition, as city councils and residents realized what a treasure these old structures were. In 1998, city began an extensive restoration project on the abondoned former county courthouse, and in May 2000, the city rededicated the building as the new Littleton Municipal Courthouse. Other restoration projects in Littleton include the old Town Hall, which was restored and converted to a performing arts center and gallery. The Carnegie Library building served as the Littleton Public Library until 1965, and then as the Littleton police station and jail until 1977. Since 1979, many restaurants have opened there, but it has been home to the Melting Pot, a popular fondue restaurant since 1997.

[Talk about the rewrite of the Historic Preservation Ordinance]

[Talk about the Louthan Street District]

[Talk about the new Main Street Historic District]