Arapaho Hills Historic District - Littleton, Colorado Mid-Century Modern Homes
A HISTORIC AND DESIGN FORWARD ENCLAVE IN LITTLETON
Arapaho Hills is a cluster of exceptionally well designed Mid-Century Modern homes in Littleton, Colorado, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. This pocket of mid mod homes is driving distance to downtown Denver, very close to the Bow Mar subdivision to the West, and Downtown Littleton is a convenient 5 minute drive away with easy access to the light rail. Natural features close by include the Littleton Golf and Tennis Club, Bowles Lake, Wynetka Ponds, and Hudson Gardens. The neighborhood is also conveniently located next to Arapahoe Community College.
THE STORY
After completing a wildly successful subdivision concept in Arapahoe Acres, developer Edward Hawkins decided to start another neighborhood in Littleton with contractor Clyde Mannon and budding architect Joseph Dion. The original plan was to build 360 modern homes on a 160 acre site, which would have been grandiose in size. The actual neighborhood ended up being comprised of 83 lots on a 37 acre site. Soon after the sales office and carpentry shop locations were established, Hawkins left the project and local architect Bruce Sutherland stepped in with Mannon and John Eatwell alongside.
Six homes in this neighborhood were designed and successfully completed for the Better Homes and Gardens “Idea Home” project. All homes were originally custom built for the owners.
Later on in the 1960s and early 1970s, an economic slowdown hurt sales in the neighborhood and many lots remained undeveloped. These were later sold to other developers, hence why certain pockets in the neighborhood do not look across the street to other Mid-Century Modern Homes. The neighborhood name is sometimes misspelled as Arapahoe Hills.
Arapaho Hills was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 18, 2012. Like some other special MCM neighborhoods, Arapaho Hills has a special booklet prepared for homeowners or those who move into the neighborhood: The Arapaho Hills Design Preservation Guideline Book.