The stable, well-rounded neighborhood of Bear Valley, 7 miles southwest of downtown Denver, enjoys a fantastic view of the Rocky Mountain Front Range in an area that continues to hold much of the charm of a small, quiet and friendly community in the midst of a bustling metropolis.

In 1858, gold was discovered in Denver on the shores of Cherry Creek. During the 1870s and 1880s, gold and silver mines brought abundance and growth to the city, while southwest in the area where Bear Valley now sits, wealthy residents built summer homes, including “Unsinkable” Molly Brown’s Avoca Lodge, built in 1897. The Molly Brown Summer House Museum and Event Center plays host to weddings, receptions, teas and tours.

Following World War II, military installations brought rapid growth to the Denver area. In 1941, Lakewood, the suburb in which Bear Valley rests, received a contract with the Remington Arms Company, an ammunition factory, and bounded by the mountains to the west, the city sprawled to the east and the south.

Today, Bear has special events such as an outdoor summer concert series, a cider festival in the fall and a Christmas lighting ceremony highlight annual events.