The city of Littleton’s history dates back to the 1859 Pike’s Peak Gold Rush, which brought not only gold seekers but merchants and farmers to the community. As Denver City’s fledgling population grew, there arose a need to build a series of tunnels to carry water from the South Platte to the dry part of town. The Littleton tunnels were built in 1861, and at the time they were a marvel because they diverted water through pressure.
A brief history of Littleton
Richard Sullivan Little was a civil engineer from New Hampshire who settled in the area that is now known as Littleton with his wife Angeline in 1862. He came to work on irrigation systems, but quickly realized it wasn’t enough for him and decided instead to settle down where they built their own home together next door – which would eventually become one small town!
In 1873, the two towns of Littleton and West Denver came together to form Arapahoe County. In 1894, a major railroad called the Colorado Central was built through the area, which brought many new jobs and a population boom as people flocked to this bustling area. The population went from 516 in 1880 to 1,878 in 1890!
In 1902, Littleton residents voted for incorporation as a town and elected its first mayor, Henry M. Beeler. In the following years, industry began sprouting up around it as smelters opened their doors near what is now South Platte Parkland that was sold off from an old homestead at rock-bottom prices because they submerged part of its property; by the men who were buying.
By the 1930s, Littleton had become a city with many of its own services, including public utilities, fire department, and more; it even sponsored its first road paving project. It was during this time that the turnpike that is now Arapahoe Road opened to traffic.
Littleton has been home to many atrocious events, including the 1999 Columbine High School Massacre. Two students from this town committed one of America’s most notorious acts against children when they murdered 12 others before committing suicide themselves at their own hands in April 2013.
The sad part is that it doesn’t seem like Littleton will ever be able to recover completely. Life goes on, but you can’t help feeling nostalgic about how much worse things were back then.
Many people believe that the city’s decision to allow victims’ families to speak in court at the attackers’ sentencing hearings, which were criticized by groups like FAIR (Families Against Intelligent Decisions), may have further hurt Littleton.
Families could express their feelings of resentment about the death penalty, describing how it would not bring back their loved ones. While many agreed with this sentiment, others felt it was hurtful for them; causing more pain than good for both emotions. The controversy from all of this is still going on today as some people believe it has had a negative impact on the town ever since.
In recent years, Littleton has undergone a rapid growth spurt and now multiple shopping centers and plenty of restaurants have opened throughout the city. It has a spotless feel, and a modernized look with its updated buildings, so it looks like Littleton is recovering nicely from this harrowing event.
Littleton’s population
Littleton’s population is around 48,000 people according to 2010 census information, so while it doesn’t seem too big on paper, there are still scores of things to do in the area such as fishing at Chatfield State Park or even taking a stroll through South Platte Parkland for some fun outdoors!
The city might not forget about tragedy, but you can bet that they’ve adapted and moved on; making life in Littleton much better than it was all those years ago.
