Who the Heck is Bonnie Brae?
One of the many beautiful residential areas in Denver is the Bonnie Brae neighborhood located between University Boulevard on the west, Steele Street on the east, Exposition Avenue on the north and E. Mississippi Avenue on the south.
So, who was this wonderful neighborhood named after? So began the search for the infamous Bonnie Brae. She must have been a fascinating person with neighborhoods, restaurants and charities named after her.
It turns out that Bonnie Brae is actually Gaelic meaning “Pleasant Hill”. Whether or not there has been an actual person named Bonnie Brae I’m not sure, but this neighborhood was planned and named in 1923 by Saco Rienk DeBoer, an influential Denver city planner, to have the feel of a Scottish village inside of Denver.
Houses were first built in 1923 but development stalled in the late 1920’s when the developer, Associated Industries, went bankrupt in the late 1920’s. The majority of construction occurred in the 1940’s and 1950’s. So, there is a real mix of architectural styles throughout the area.
Bonnie Brae Boulevard is a wonderful street to drive to get the feel of the neighborhood and to see some truly beautiful homes. The Boulevard runs from University Boulevard and Exposition Avenue on the west and runs diagonal through the neighborhood to Steele Street and Mississippi on the east. You’ll find wonderful neighborhood restaurants and businesses along South University Boulevard. The Bonnie Brae Tavern has been the rock of the neighborhood since 1934.
Bonnie Brae Tavern
Bonnie Brae Ice Cream
Bonnie Brae Flowers
The Bonnie Brae neighborhood, with its towering trees, fabulous neighborhood businesses and convenient central Denver location, is a very popular Denver community. The area is experiencing a great deal of construction and renovation. It is truly a “pleasant hill” or at least a pleasant neighborhood to call home. Here’s to Bonnie Brae.
Wow! Thanks for the explanation. I’ve been wondering about Bonnie Brae for a while now. Some realtors in town I talked to thought it was a person, but your explanation makes sense! Its nice to know a bit more about the neighborhood.
Joshua, I always wondered who Bonnie Brae was, so I thought I’d check it out. I was really surprised. It was fun to do the research. Make sure you try the ice cream if you get a chance. It is well worth the trip.
[…] Coldwell Banker Residential* If you and Rudy missed out on purchasing one of these houses, there are 27 other homes currently on the market in the Denver Bonnie Brae/Belcaro neighborhoods ranging in price from $319,000 to $4,285,000. Related Article: Who the Heck is Bonnie Brae? The astericked (*) properties were listed and/or sold by other companies. Based on information from Metrolist, Inc. for the period of May 1, 2007 to May 31, 2007. Note: This representation is based in whole or in part in content supplied by Metrolist, Inc. does not guarantee nor is in any way responsible for its accuracy. Content maintained by Metrolist, Inc. may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. […]
[…] Related Article: Who the Heck is Bonnie Brae? May Market Activity– Bonnie Brae and Belcaro Neighborhoods […]
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