General William Larimer, Jr., laid out the townsite of Highland on the hilly bluffs facing the South Platte River in December 1858. On the east side of the river, two other towns had previously been created, Auraria and Denver City.

The acreage claimed by the townsite was larger than that included within the boundaries of either Auraria or Denver City. The site was notable for its elevation about the river valley and its scenic views, but its isolation from the other settlements by the topography made access an early challenge.

The Highland Town Company organized in the fall or early summer of 1859. In 1875 the town of Highlands was incorporated. Highlands, which comprised about two square miles of land, viewed itself as an elite suburb, where residents enjoyed fresh air, solid homes, pure water, and the lack of undesirable influences such as saloons. The Highlands is not just one district, but more than thirty-five separate sub-divisions. The city had high aspirations of its own, touting clean air high above the smoke and industry of Denver, clean artesian water, and most important, clean morals.

The hopes and glory of Highlands were short-lived. There were major transportation difficulties crossing the South Platte into Denver and climbing the hill up to Highlands.

These problems and the 1893 Silver Crash, which strained the town’s finances, led to a vote by Highlands citizens in 1896 to annex Highlands to Denver.