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Today the Evergreen Colorado area has a population of close to 40,000 but downtown’s Main Street still retains the historic flavor and charming architecture from the early days. At an elevation of 7220 feet, we remain cooler than Denver in the summer and often warmer than Denver in the winter. Our air is clean and clear, scented by the ponderosa pine forests and grassy meadows that attracted our first visitors and remain abundant today.

The first area resident, Thomas Bergen, arrived in 1859 and established a stage stop and ranch just north of where downtown is today. He was followed by Dwight Wilmot in 1875, who named the area Evergreen while settling here after teaching Lookout Mountain/Genesee children in 1873. His home is across the street from today’s Wilmot Elementary School.

Most early residents were involved with either local ranches or the lumber trade. Anticipating gold, silver, copper, elk and timber, the first settlers came to Evergreen in the 1860’s. By 1870 the area supplied lumber to a rapidly growing Denver. The earliest structure was a bunkhouse for lumberjacks. That structure still stands as the oldest area building in continuous use. 23 buildings in the area, including Hiwan Homestead make up the Evergreen Conference Historic District and provide a fascinating snapshot of the lives of the first residents in our area. By the 1880’s the town boasted 6 sawmills and had a population of 200.

Improved roads leading up Bear Creek Canyon and the arrival of electricity in 1917 initiated a growth spurt in the area as the town became a popular summer destination for Denver socialites. Many of the “handsome” summer homes that they built along the banks of Bear Creek remain today along with two of the three popular resorts of the time, Troutdale-in-the-Pines, the Brook Forest Inn and Greystone guest ranch, now a private property.

Today much of the land in the area is preserved for public use as part of the Open Space and Mountain Parks systems. We maintain a tradition of preservation and value our beautiful surroundings that date back to 1925 when the original Mountain Parks Protective Association was formed.

Evergreen Lake was formed when a dam was built across Bear Creek in 1928. Created to provide year-round recreation and to make Bear Creek Canyon “one of the outstanding tourist resorts in the Front Range” it still serves as the cornerstone of our town.

By the 1950’s, improved utilities, roads and the rising popularity of automobiles brought the arrival of more year-round residents, and Evergreen grew to become the commuter town it is today.

You can experience our rich history hand-in-hand with today’s residents and visitors. Attend fine art exhibits and music festivals and our annual rodeo, walking the same paths that the earliest residents in our area used. Hike in one of the many parks in the area and enjoy the same vistas that brought our first visitors. Whether you visit or make the Evergreen area your home, you will appreciate the benefits from our unique balance of preservation and progress.

We welcome your visit to our community via the internet and would welcome you if you decide to make the Evergreen/Conifer area your home. Continue to explore our area through the many links provided here. You can even search for your dream home in the Evergreen, Conifer, Genesee, Morrison and Golden areas when you click on the Search for Homes link!