Comprised of 1 city block and 14 homes, the Ninth Street Historic Park preserves homes built between 1872 and 1906. It is located on the Auraria Campus, which holds the colleges of the University of Colorado Denver, the Community College of Denver and the Metropolitan State College of Denver.
In 1858, the town was established by William Green Russell and his brothers who had discovered gold in the nearby area. The first two houses were built in 1872.
The park is the oldest restored residential area within the City of Denver. The block was saved from demolition due to a grassroots movement in the 1970s. The park officially opened in 1977.
Historical Marker Inscription
The Auraria higher education center is located on the site of Denver’s oldest continuously occupied settlement. In 1858, William Green Russell and his brothers found gold nearby and established this pioneer town of Auraria, which merged with Denver in 1860.
Auraria continued to flourish between 1872 and 1906 when the houses preserved on Ninth Street Historic Park were constructed. The oldest restored residential block in Denver, Ninth Street incorporates a variety of architectural styles ranging from Carpenter Gothic to Brick Bungalow.
The city’s ethnic diversity also has been reflected by the Auraria neighborhood. Arapahoe Indians once camped here, and the community subsequently included German, Scots-Irish, Jewish, Hispanic and other residents. Ninth Street Park and other historic campus buildings remain as a reminder that Auraria was the place where Denver began.
Location
39° 44’ 31.170” N, 105° 0’ 15.490” W
Ninth Street Historic Park, Ninth Street Park, Denver, CO 80204, United States
Historical Markers of the World 