Where Molholm Began
Molholm is one of those Lakewood neighborhoods whose history is easy to miss if you are only looking at today’s streets. The homes, parks, schools, and busy corridors feel thoroughly suburban now, but this part of west metro Denver began as open farmland, ranchland, and small agricultural holdings.
The neighborhood is generally associated with the area around West Colfax Avenue, West Sixth Avenue, Sheridan Boulevard, Wadsworth Boulevard, and the streets leading south toward West Ninth Avenue. Many residents also know it as part of the broader Two Creeks community. Together, Molholm and Two Creeks represent one of Lakewood’s oldest settled areas—an important distinction in a city that grew for decades as a collection of unincorporated communities before becoming a municipality in 1969.
The wider Lakewood story reaches back to the late nineteenth century. In 1889, railroad promoter William A. H. Loveland helped establish a subdivision called Lakewood near present-day West Colfax Avenue and Harlan Street. The name eventually became attached to the growing community and, later, the city itself. Early residents raised crops, kept livestock, operated dairies, and supplied food to Denver. The area that became Molholm was part of that rural landscape, long before ranch-style houses and neighborhood parks filled the view. ([lakewoodtogether.org](https://www.lakewoodtogether.org/Lakewood50/news_feed/fifty-years?utm_source=openai))
The Story Behind the Name
Molholm’s name honors Eli C. Molholm, a Danish immigrant who became one of the area’s early dairy farmers and community builders. Molholm arrived in Jefferson County in 1891 and spent much of his life working the land. He was remembered not only for agriculture but also for his interest in public improvements and education.
That connection to schools is especially important. When Jefferson County prepared to build a new elementary school in the postwar years, officials chose to name it for Molholm. The school opened in 1955 at 6000 West Ninth Avenue, giving the Molholm name a permanent and highly visible place on the local map. Over time, residents began using “Molholm” not just for the school but for the surrounding neighborhood as well. ([edgewatercollective.org](https://edgewatercollective.org/grieving-school-closures/?utm_source=openai))
In that sense, the neighborhood’s name reflects a common pattern in Lakewood history: places are often remembered through the people who farmed the land, advocated for schools, or helped organize community life. Molholm is not simply a geographic label; it carries the memory of a particular family and a period when agriculture shaped everyday life.
From Farms to Neighborhood Streets
For much of the early twentieth century, the area remained a patchwork of farms, dairies, turkey ranches, and open fields. West Colfax Avenue served as the primary east-west route, connecting the communities west of Denver with the city and the foothills. Wadsworth Boulevard and Sheridan Boulevard later became major north-south corridors, bringing more traffic, commerce, and development.
The transformation accelerated after World War II. Like many communities across Jefferson County, Lakewood experienced a surge in population as returning veterans, young families, and workers sought affordable homes outside Denver. The new neighborhoods were characterized by modest brick houses, wood-frame homes, and single-story ranch houses arranged along quiet residential streets.
Molholm Elementary reflected this growth. Its 1955 construction came during a period of rapid enrollment expansion throughout Jefferson County Public Schools. The school served generations of neighborhood children and became more than a classroom building—it was a gathering place, a playground, and a familiar landmark for families living near West Ninth Avenue. ([npgallery.nps.gov](https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/9ec89ff6-366e-4efd-8045-dbc5683d86d0?utm_source=openai))
Nearby schools also tell the story of changing educational needs. Earlier school facilities in the surrounding area included Mountair School, which served children near West Colfax before being replaced by larger postwar campuses. The growth of Molholm and neighboring communities demonstrated how quickly the former agricultural edge of Denver had become a settled residential district. ([lakewood.org](https://www.lakewood.org/files/assets/public/planning/comprehensive-planning/pdfs/historic-preservation/historicnelkwdsurveyphasei-1.pdf?utm_source=openai))
Molholm Park and Everyday Landmarks
One of the neighborhood’s most welcoming landmarks is Molholm Park at 960 Jay Street. It is not a grand regional park, and that is part of its charm. Molholm Park is the kind of place that gives a neighborhood its daily rhythm: children play, neighbors meet under the picnic shelter, and residents stop by for a little shade or fresh air.
The park includes:
- A playground
- Basketball courts
- Volleyball facilities
- Horseshoe pits
- A picnic shelter
These features connect Molholm to an older tradition of neighborhood parks as informal community centers. Before online neighborhood groups and social media, parks and schools were where residents naturally encountered one another. Molholm Park continues that role in a simple, practical way. ([lakewoodco.gov](https://www.lakewoodco.gov/Local-Government/Departments/Community-Resources/Parks-Forestry-and-Open-Space/A-to-Z-Park-List/Molholm-Park?utm_source=openai))
The neighborhood also benefits from its proximity to larger Lakewood destinations. Lakewood Country Club provides a broad green presence to the south and west, while West Colfax offers a changing mix of restaurants, services, shops, and small businesses. The 40 West Arts District and its art-lined trail have added a newer cultural layer to the area, blending public art, walking, bicycling, and creative businesses with older residential streets.
The Closing of Molholm Elementary
A major recent milestone came in 2023, when Jefferson County Public Schools closed Molholm Elementary amid districtwide enrollment declines. For longtime residents, the decision was emotional because the school had served the community for nearly seven decades. Its closure marked the end of an era, but it also renewed conversations about how the site could continue serving local families.
Community members and neighborhood organizations have discussed the possibility of preserving the property as a community-centered space, with programming for children, families, and residents of the surrounding Two Creeks area. Those conversations show how strongly the school remains tied to local identity. Even when an institution’s original purpose changes, the memories attached to it can remain a powerful force. ([ngazette.com](https://ngazette.com/welcoming-the-molholm-elementary-community-to-edgewater/?utm_source=openai))
A Neighborhood Still in Motion
Molholm has continued to evolve. Older ranch houses and bungalows stand beside remodeled homes, townhouses, and newer infill development. The neighborhood’s location—close to Colfax Avenue, downtown Denver, the West Line, and Lakewood’s central districts—has made it attractive to residents who want both urban access and a quieter residential setting.
Yet the neighborhood’s character is not defined only by convenience. It comes from layers of history that remain visible in the landscape: broad mature trees, long-established streets, small parks, school memories, and the agricultural past preserved in the name Molholm itself.
What makes Molholm special is this sense of continuity. It has changed from farmland to postwar suburb to a diverse and increasingly connected urban neighborhood, but it has never lost its community-minded spirit. A walk along Jay Street, a game at Molholm Park, or a drive down West Ninth Avenue can still offer reminders of the people and institutions that helped shape Lakewood.
For longtime residents, Molholm is more than a neighborhood on a map. It is a living record of Lakewood’s transformation—and a place where the past remains part of everyday life.