Welcome to Applewood West

Tucked up Next to Table Mesa

The Mid-Century Modern homes in Applewood West, named the “Applewood Mesa Ranchettes”, share a unique topographical environment. Triangulated between the I-70 freeway to the east, Table Mesa Mountain and it’s many hiking trails to the south, The Applewood Golf Course and it’s many lakes to the north, and the Club at Rolling Hills to the west, this enclave of homes really gets to experience the best of the outdoors. Mountains, lakes, and green golf courses? Count me in. This neighborhood has the best outdoor living experience in Colorado.

Technically a part of the larger City of Golden, this pocket of Mid-Century Modern homes gets to experience the best that living in Golden has to offer. Boulder is a short drive north, Green Mountain is a short drive south, Morrison and Evergreen are a stones throw away, as is quick access to some of the state’s best ski resorts via I-70. The Colorado Mills Mall is also relatively close by. On a nice sunny day, many people in this neighborhood can be found walking their dogs, riding bikes, going on a run, or simply just being out and about and active. 

Many of the most historic and architecturally iconic MCMs in this neighborhood reside along Foothill Road. This is a relatively long and winding single lane road, so take caution when driving along it.

The Story

In 1933, Myron T. Bunger had purchased an 80-acre apple orchard for him and his family to cultivate. When Bunger went to retire in 1953 instead of moving out to continue working in Washington D.C., he saw the value in his investment and enlisted his engineer brothers Mill and Howard to build a luxury subdivision on the land he had purchased decades before. Together they founded the Applewood Mesa Realty Company and also formed a business to obtain water rights to provide water and sewage to the area, as there was none pre-existing.

By 1956, construction began on Applewood Mesa for 600 one-half acre home sites. Homes ranged in value from $25,000 to $85,000, which were relatively expensive for the time, considering the average home price that year was $10,391.

As popularity grew for the Applewood area, the brothers created new subdivisions. They included Applewood Heights, Grove, Glen, and View, all falling under the larger Applewood umbrella name. Young professionals quickly fell in love with the area.. In the 1960s and 1970s, Applewood Knolls was added by Michael Leprino.

In addition to the residential development, developer Conrad R. Becker began construction of a new shopping village on a 38-acre site adjacent to the Applewood area and the new I-70 project through Jefferson County. Becker aspired that the shopping village would serve residents not only in Applewood, but in Table Mountain and the Golden vicinity. The owners of widely popular Eaker Department stores were the first to sign a lease in the shopping area, which expected to have 40-50 stores, projected to be their largest project to date.

Source: Denver Area Post WWII Suburbs