 The first streets in Denver were platted in what was then the town of Auraria, founded in 1858; it was the first permanent settlement of Europeans in Colorado, which was then part of the Kansas Territory.The streets were laid out parallel to the south bank of Cherry Creek near its confluence with the South Platte River, with perpendicular cross streets.Because they followed the path of a natural body of water, these streets were diagonal to the four cardinal directions.