Larimer Square, Denver

Larimer Square is Denver's oldest commercial block, featuring Victorian and Romanesque buildings decorated with string lights between 14th and 15th streets. The structures now house shops, restaurants, and entertainment spaces that serve daily foot traffic.

General William Larimer founded this block in the 1850s as Denver's first commercial zone, and it later housed the city's first residence and city hall. The area evolved from these founding institutions into the mixed-use retail and entertainment center it is today.

The block serves as a gathering place where the community and visitors meet during art shows and seasonal celebrations held throughout the year. These events reveal how the city continues to engage with its past through shared public moments.

The block is accessible via public transportation and nearby parking facilities, making it easy to visit at any time. Walking through the space is straightforward, and you can explore shops and restaurants at your own pace throughout the day.

The nineteenth-century buildings have been preserved so that their original structures remain visible beneath contemporary shops and restaurants that now occupy them. This natural layering of old and new happens as the city continues to grow and adapt.