Arapahoe Acres in Englewood

Truly a treasure of great architecture and urban planning, Arapahoe Acres is like a living museum of mid-century design. Developed by talented home designer and builder Edward Hawkins between 1949-1957, the neighborhood was a laboratory of cutting-edge house and neighborhood design.

Participating in the Revere Quality House Program, a national program meant to improve residential design nationwide by involving architects with the design of neighborhoods and houses, Hawkins worked with Denver architect Eugene Sternberg at the start of Arapahoe Acres’ development. Sternberg developed the neighborhood's unique street configuration, designed to enhance privacy and slow traffic. Sternberg also designed the neighborhood's first houses, which were built along Marion Street and Dartmouth Avenue. The design of the houses proved very popular and the first 9 houses built in 1950 sold immediately; the success of the design earned the neighborhood national attention as well.

As Sternberg moved on, the remaining houses in Arapahoe Acres were designed by Hawkins, sometimes assisted by young architect Gerry Dion (both also became residents of the neighborhood). They were inspired by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, and many of the houses have architectural details that reflect Wright’s style and concepts.

What makes Arapahoe Acres a special place in the Denver area is the passion that Hawkins brought to the neighborhood and its houses. Nowhere else in the city can you find such a cohesively designed neighborhood, so well thought out in planning and architecture, and in such good condition as Arapahoe Acres. This is why Arapahoe acres is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is the most sought-after mid-century modern neighborhood in the city.

• Arapahoe Acres is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is the first mid-century neighborhood in the country to be added to the register.