Littleton’s historic downtown has a unique charm and architectural appeal. The Littleton Museum describes how the businesses in the area were among the first buildings in the city. “The beginnings of Littleton as a community can be traced to the Pikes Peak gold rush of 1859. Along with the gold seekers came merchants and farmers to provide the necessities of life.”
Local business owners and merchants continue to operate in some of the same buildings that were constructed as early as the 1880s. Ruth Graham is a local business owner and President of Ruth Graham Properties. In 2005 she purchased a historic single-story building on Littleton’s Main Street operating her chiropractic business, Ancient Art Health Center, in that location until 2025.
When asked why she chose the Littleton area she says, “I love downtown Littleton. I scouted around the entire metropolitan area to see where I wanted to be a part of and downtown Littleton has a charm and appeal.”
In 2008 Graham expanded her building on Main Street by adding a second story. She was one of the first businesses to add on to an existing structure. Currently, the interior of the first floor is under construction again as Central Bank joins the Littleton community opening their Littleton location in the Graham Professional Building.
Baxter Fain, Central Bank president, says “We’re thrilled to be part of the historic Graham Professional Building in downtown Littleton. This building carries a meaningful legacy in the community, and it’s an honor for Central Bank to continue that story in such a special place. As we prepare to open our Littleton branch, our team is incredibly excited to welcome neighbors, local businesses, and visitors through our doors. Central Bank is proud to become part of this vibrant community, and we look forward to building lasting relationships while serving the people who make Littleton such a remarkable place.”
In addition to welcoming community partners like Central Bank, Graham points out that Main Street is a draw for a variety of reasons. “One of the big changes has been restaurants. And those people who really encourage restaurants. You really have to give credit to some of the owners like Kal Murib [President of Murib Properties]. His commitment was we need restaurants and we need a vision for the downtown area. We have property owners now, and have for the past number of years, that are really waiting for the right people to come along to help the district and not just pay rent. It’s a different way of thinking about what you want to do with your property down here.”
Graham has an expectation that this vision and commitment to working with community partners that contribute to the long-term vibrancy of Main Street will be successful. She says, “The future is amazing. The people that are coming down here now and are investing in these properties are putting in businesses that are really viable for many, many years to come.”