Jefferson Park (Denver, Colorado)

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Jefferson Park received its name from the 6.7 acre park located on West 23rd Avenue and Clay Street. This old city dump was filled, seeded and landscaped in the early 1900s and named after the father of the Democratic Party, Thomas Jefferson. An influx of residents came in the 1890s with the immigration of Irish, Germans and English.

Any block, in Jefferson Park today, may have houses representing the architecture of the 1890s, the 1910s, 1920s and '40s, and 50s. After the building boom that occurred following the end of World War II, there was very little vacant property left in North Denver.

By the 1960s Denver was experiencing its own white flight. Properties in Jefferson Park were abandoned for the suburbs, and as the recession of the late 1970s and early 1980s hit Denver violence and crime increased throughout the neighborhood. The once celebrated neighborhood fell into disrepair and was eventually ignored by the city.

By the 1990s Jefferson Park's location, affordable housing, and neighborhood feel brought it back to the attention of the city and home-buyers that wanted an urban lifestyle. Since 2000, controlled investment and development has brought positive change to the neighborhood. Jefferson Park is currently experiencing a renaissance in investment and development due to its proximity to downtown Denver, major attractions in the Central Platte Valley, and its availability of reasonably priced housing as compared to the neighborhoods surrounding it that have already completed gentrification.

The racial breakdown of the neighborhood is 68.7% white, 2.1% African American, 1.5% Asian, 1.9% Native American. Hispanic or Latino of any race is 44.3% of the population.