Why Lakewood
Lakewood is a major municipality located in Jefferson County, Colorado, situated directly west of Denver and 62 miles (100 km) north-northwest of Colorado Springs. Positioned along the western boundary of the Great Plains within the Colorado Piedmont, the city sits immediately east of the Front Range of the southern Rocky Mountains. Lakewood forms part of the broader Denver metropolitan area and the Front Range Urban Corridor, encompassing a landscape that includes natural tributaries and reservoirs such as Bear Creek, Lakewood Gulch, Soda Lakes, and Maple Grove Reservoir. The city's western elevation is dominated by Green Mountain, which reaches a height of 6,854 feet (2,089 meters).
The community began developing in 1889 when Charles Welch and former Colorado Central Railroad president W.A.H. Loveland platted a 13-block district along West Colfax Avenue west of Denver. A local post office opened in 1892. For decades, the area functioned without a municipal government, relying on county services and independent utility districts. Officially incorporated in June 1969—initially under the name Jefferson City before residents selected Lakewood—the municipality grew quickly despite lacking a traditional downtown core. Commercial development originally concentrated along West Colfax Avenue and later expanded southward to West Alameda Avenue, where the Belmar area eventually replaced older retail facilities.
Visitors to Lakewood can explore several cultural and historical points of interest throughout the city. Belmar functions as a central district combining public spaces, shopping, and residential areas, and includes the Belmar Arts District with its galleries and studio spaces. Nearby, Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park offers a 20th-century history museum and event grounds situated near Kountze Lake on the former location of the Belmar family mansion. Creative venues also include the Lakewood Cultural Center, which houses a theater and art classrooms, and the 40 West Arts District, featuring a walking and cycling art route along the light rail corridor.
For outdoor recreation, William Fredrick Hayden Park at Green Mountain offers foothill trails and open parkland. Lakewood is also home to higher education campuses—including Colorado Christian University, Red Rocks Community College, and the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design—as well as the Denver Federal Center, which contains a large concentration of federal government offices. Characterized by a cold semi-arid climate, Lakewood is accessible via regional highways such as Interstate 70, U.S. Route 6, and U.S. Route 40, alongside public bus routes and the Regional Transportation District's W Line light rail.
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