Westwood
Before the depression of 1929, Westwood was little more than rolling prairie land. Westwood developed during the depression when times became hard and cheap land was the only land people could afford. It became a shack town, trailer town and tent town. Building lots were sold for $1 down and 50 cents a week. Then came World War II, and shack town became boom town. The Denver Ordinance Plant (present day Federal Center) was built west of Denver. Westwood was near the plant and land still was comparatively cheap, with building restrictions almost non-existent. Arms plant workers flocked to the town of Westwood. Houses, some below Denver's standards, were rapidly built. In 1946, lots were selling on West Alameda Avenue for $10,000 a pair. Businesses increased from corner groceries to swank road houses, several with gross sales of $100,000 a year. The growth was too fast for any real community planning.