The city of Centennial, Colorado may not have been around for 100 years or more, but it’s climbed to the status of being the tenth largest city in Colorado and has definitely lived up to its name. Centennial real estate options abound in this location that’s within Arapahoe County and boasted a population of more than 100,000 as of 2010. Part of the Denver metro area, Centennial offers something for all ages and interests. It’s considered the 15th safest city in the country.
Some key events were happening in 1876 for both the United States and for Colorado. The year was the 100th anniversary of the United States’ Declaration of Independence and the year Colorado became part of the Union as the 38th state. Colorado is known as the Centennial State in recognition of this history.
Needless to say, Centennial, Colorado got its name as a result of this rich history. It was formed fairly recently, in 2001 after the citizens voted in 2000 to incorporate. Before that the area was part of unincorporated Arapahoe County. At the time Centennial incorporated, the area had a population of more than 100,000, thus making it the largest area in United States history to incorporate.
The citizens wanted to incorporate because they were concerned that otherwise their area could be annexed by nearby Greenwood Village, which was annexing various unincorporated areas at the time.
Because Centennial’s incorporation happened fairly recently, many people are still getting adjusted to the change. There is often confusion over which locations and addresses are in Centennial and which are in neighboring Aurora, Littleton, and Englewood.
Colorado has been ranked repeatedly in recent years as one of the most active states in the country, and Centennial definitely encourages its residents to stay fit and active. The area’s beautiful hills and natural areas provide ideal places to get out into the great outdoors and enjoy some exercise while spotting local wildlife. DeKoevend Park, Willow Creek Trail, Dry Creek Dam, the Highline Canal Trail, Big Dry Creek, and Little Dry Creek trails are part of the area’s extensive trails and parks system. Centennial residents can enjoy bicycling, walking, jogging, and playing at the various parks and on the trails, including Cherokee Trail Park and Parker Jordan Centennial Open Space.
Centennial Center Park is a local gem, next to Center Park and spreading out over about 11 acres. Located on Arapahoe Road, it offers various shelters, an amphitheater, and picnic areas, along with numerous educational and historical features. More parks are on the way in Centennial, as the Potomac Park site awaits future development.
Centennial keeps pace with the Denver area’s reputation for healthy living. Organic food stores abound, including Whole Foods on South York Street, Natural Grocers Vitamin Cottage on South University Boulevard, and Sprouts on East Smoky Hill Road. Nearby cities also have locations for Trader Joe’s and other organic food stores.
Farmers’ markets and the local food movement are popular throughout Colorado, including Centennial, where as of 2015 there were two local markets. One takes place weekly on South University from early May to late October, and the other starts in June on East Peakview Avenue.
Community gardens tend to flourish in Colorado. One example in Centennial is Arapahoe Estates Community Garden and Garden Club, located in the Arapahoe Estates neighborhood. It has 18 gardening plots plus a corn field, pumpkin patch, and children’s garden. Other features include culinary herbs, medicinal herbs, and fruit bushes. The garden donates its extra bounty to local people in need.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms are also prevalent in the area. They allow local residents to purchase a share of produce and other healthy foods, often for much lower prices than those available at natural grocery stores. Some local farms also have wonderful features such as berry patches.
In Centennial, there are many more things to do than there are hours in the day or rays in the sunny Colorado skies. Just outside Centennial in Aurora, Cherry Creek State Park offers a delightful place to enjoy bicycling, bird watching, a model airplane airfield, boating, cross-country skiing, sledding, snow tubing, camping, fishing, volleyball, swimming, hiking, horseback riding, and much more. The hills of the state park surround an 880 surface acre reservoir.
Residents value learning and libraries, and Arapahoe Library District offers four locations plus a mobile library service.
At the Streets of SouthGlenn, stores include Macy’s, H&M, Sears, Old Navy, Best Buy, Staples, and many more. There’s also ice skating and a 14-screen theater. The plentiful restaurants include Mellow Mushroom, Noodles & Company, and Qdoba. To add even more to Centennial’s extensive shopping and dining options, the Centennial Promenade’s offerings include REI, J. Alexander’s, Guitar Center, and Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery.
In 2011 the first Colorado IKEA store, which is also the second largest IKEA in the United States, opened in Centennial. It includes a children’s play area and a restaurant that serves Swedish food.
In nearby Denver, fans can enjoy a full spectrum of professional sporting events, including Denver Broncos football, Colorado Avalanche hockey, Denver Nuggets ro basketball, and Colorado Rockies baseball. Professional sports venues are Sports Authority Field at Mile High, the Pepsi Center, and Coors Field.
Next to Centennial in Englewood is the 90,000-square-foot Denver Broncos headquarters and training facility, which includes three full-sized fields, administrative offices, and numerous other specialized features.
This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what Centennial, Colorado has to offer. Add to that all the amenities in the Denver metro area plus the nearby Rocky Mountains, and it’s clear that this is a great place to call home. If you’re looking into that possibility, please contact us. We’d be happy to help you continue researching this highly rated area.
