Historic Littleton Inc. has something for everyone

While it by no means scrapes the clouds, Littleton’s skyline is dotted with many unique and historic structures that are easily identifiable to anyone who has lived in the area for more than a few months.  From J.J. Benedicts Italian inspired Town Hall (now Town Hall Arts Center) and Carnagie Library (now the Melting Pot) to the 1904 courthouse that anchors downtown, these are some of the structures that give Littleton it’s charm, speak to our past, and contribute to the vitality citizens and guests seek today. And Littleton Historic Inc. is the organization that celebrates, advocates, and protects Littleton’s built heritage for future generations.

Founded in 1989 as a fundraising organization known as the Second Century Fund, Historic Littleton Inc (HLI as its commonly referred to) evolved in 2000 as the programing, impact, and need of historic preservation in the city grew. More active today than ever, HLI offers its members and the public at-large opportunities to engage and experience Littleton’s built history, engaging with local experts and connecting today’s residents with citizens from the past who helped build our city.

Regular walking tours of downtown, Littleton Boulevard, and the City Ditch – Littleton’s oldest structure – are a spectacular way to spend a summer evening, as are Historic Littleton Happy Hour events.

HLI offers a fascinating lecture series throughout the year, introducing events and characters both well known in Littleton’s history, such as the flood of 1965, and lesser known but in many ways equally impactful on the community we know today.

A new scavenger hunt, in partnership with Westen Welcome Week, will offer Littleton lovers of all ages a chance to get out and explore Littleton Boulevard and all its hidden fascinations!

Particularly popular with families with children is the annual Halloween March at Bemis Library, last year led by Littleton’s dog mayor, Murdoch the basset hound.

These activities all point towards actively preserving the built environment that tells Littletons unique story, particularly that of a once tiny agricultural community that blossomed after WWII with the influx of aerospace engineers and geologists who moved to the area with their young families, shaping the foundation of the City we know today.

Be sure to visit HLinc.org to learn more about this wonderful organization and check the calendar of events for one of the upcoming lectures or walking tours – they really are not to be missed!

Did you know: Littleton Boulevard has the highest count of highly significant Mid-Century commercial architecture located along a 1.5-mile stretch of any small City in the country.  

A total of 9 architectural styles are designed by at least 17 architects, representing Brutalism, Formalism, International, and Usonian styles of architecture.  Out of the 76 buildings surveyed, 58 are either nationally (22), state (20) or locally significant (16) and all are eligible for historic designation.

(this blog post has been updated from an article that first appeared in Southwest Littleton Living Magazine, published by Best Version Media, in May 2024)