Bow Mar, Colorado

Bow Mar was developed in the late 19th century as an agricultural area, producing food for Littleton and Denver. The name comes from two of pioneering farmers in the area: John Bowles and John Marston. After World War II came to an end, it was determined that the Bow Mar area was more valuable for residential housing than for farming, so houses began to pop up in the late 1940's and early 1950's. Bow Mar was incorporated in 1958 as a town that straddled the county line between Arapahoe and Jefferson Couties. Many of the homes in Bow Mar were designed along the lines of Frank Lloyd Wright's prairie-style architecture. The lots were all 1-acre in size and the streets were wide. None of the original homes was more than 1 story tall. Today, the homes that aren't being razed and replaced are being seriously updated.

The town maintains a public beach on Bow Mar Lake that is often used year-round for music concerts, public gatherings and other neighborhood events. Summer sees the Bow Mar Yacht Club hosting regattas on the lake.