Apartments for Rent near Cheesman Park, Denver, CO

No other neighborhood has undergone more change than the centrally-located Chessman Park neighborhood in Denver. The fact that anyone at all lives in the neighborhood is a stark change from the district’s storied beginnings… as the Prospect Hill Cemetery. The cemetery opened the same year as what is now Lower Downtown Denver was first being cleared in 1858, but only stayed that way until 1890. It was at that time that the U.S. Congress claimed the land as part of an agreement struck with the native Arapahoe tribe, and turned it into a park. Many Denverites believe the ghosts of the old cemetery did not so easily go by the wayside, and late at night still haunt the neighborhood park, even to this day.

Despite its short tenure, the cemetery became quite segregated in its later years, another stark difference between past and present. Modern Chessman Park neighborhood holds over 12,000 people per square mile, making the area one of the largest population concentrations in the city and county of Denver. And a 10-15 minute walk along this densely populated district from Eastern boundary York Street to Western boundary Downing Street along Northern boundary Colfax Street will show you a glimpse of the progress the neighborhood has made over the years. Speaking of Colfax, Chessman Park neighborhood’s northern boundary is most famously known as the longest continuous street in America, spanning East to West for a marathon’s length of over 26 miles. Before the arrival of Interstate 70 in 1961, Colfax Avenue was the only way from one side of the Mile High City to the other. Today it still serves as quick and easy access to nearly anywhere in the city from East to West, barring rush-hour traffic, of course. Residents are split nearly equally between large, high-rise, multi-family apartment complexes overlooking the park, and mansion-size houses further to the neighborhood outskirts that have been subdivided into two or three bedroom condos. Both house dwellers and apartment dwellers alike can typically be seen running laps around the beloved park nearly anytime, day or night (and possibly inventing ghost stories).

Due to the nearly 100-year history of Colfax Avenue as a boundary to the north, the Cheesman Park neighborhood has a buzzing culture as densely rich as the history surrounding it and the population within it. While most of the 1-square mile area is residential, the northern extreme of the neighborhood has more than enough daytime activities and nightlife to go ‘round. Liks Ice Cream on 13th Avenue and Vine Street is a local favorite after a day of sunbathing in the park. For a truly one-of-a-kind experience be sure to check out (read: wait in line at) VooDoo Doughnuts at the intersection of Colfax and Park Avenues. If you do not fear the line, and rather embrace it as a time to observe those around you (read: people watch) you will be rewarded with a truly unique delight. The creamy creations can be like something out of a spooky dream, making VooDoo Doughnuts feel right at home in this neck of the woods, despite only opening in mid-2014.

A “miniature tour of the U.K” - a term just made up on the spot to describe bar hopping between The Irish Snug and Streets of London Pub - is a great start to after-dark fun for thirsty adults. Don’t fret; this “tour” is merely two block in length along Colfax Avenue. From there, patrons can check out one of many big name acts coming through Denver well into the early morning hours at either of the premier concert venues in the area - the Ogden Theatre or the Fillmore Auditorium. Both lie one short neighborhood to the west, once again, on Colfax (North Capitol Hill).

No mention of the Chessman Park Neighborhood would be complete, however, without including the Denver Botanical Gardens, the district’s coup de ta. In the wintertime the Denver Botanical Gardens hosts an annual parade of lights for the holidays, and in the summertime it hosts a rolling cast of highly sought after exhibitors. In the summer of 2014 for example, genius glass sculptor Dale Chihuly will be the main act starting June 14, and will enjoy a rare extended run clear through late November. If the name Chihuly does not ring a bell, perhaps the name Bellagio will? The gorgeous, glass ceiling sculptures that can only be effectively described as a classy color explosion greeting the mega-hotel guests for years is, you guessed it, Chihuly. The opportunity to be absolutely amazed at Chihuly’s glass creations up close truly cannot be missed.

Despite possibly haunted beginnings, the Chessman Park neighborhood has blossomed into a diverse, fun-loving, and accepting community that is also one of the most highly sought after places to live in the city and county of Denver. One day in the sun at the park, or one awe inspiring trip to the Denver Botanical Gardens, or maybe even a bite of the local artisan desserts and it becomes very apparent why locals and tourists alike flock to this historic Denver neighborhood.