Originally Bow Mar was an agricultural area. It was home to several large farms that provided for both Denver and Littleton. The name Bow Mar is derived from combining the names of two nearby lakes, Bowles Lake and Marston Lake. The lakes were named for two pioneering farmers in the area, Joseph Bowles and John Marston. The Bowles family farmhouse and barn can today be found south of the town of Bow Mar.
As Denver grew after World War II, Bow Mar farmland was purchased to develop the area into single-family housing. Homes were first constructed in what is now Bow Mar in the late 1940s and early 1950s. In 1947, the first home was built in Bow Mar. The neighborhood was largely built up by the end of the 1950s. Bow Mar was incorporated as a town in 1958 as a town that straddled both Arapahoe and Jefferson counties. When built, many homes in Bow Mar reflected Frank Lloyd Wright‘s prairie-style architecture. Homes were constructed upon acre lots and were placed on wide streets, and were limited to being no more than one story tall. Today, many houses in the area are being updated or replaced with new construction.
Bow Mar maintains a public beach for residents that is utilized year-round for concerts, gatherings, or other neighborhood events. There is a great dog park in the area.