Discover Colorado history through art in RiNo Denver7 and last updated 2021-05-27 17:05:07-04 DENVER -- The River North Art District, or RiNo, is a thriving neighborhood featuring revamped industrial buildings covered in colorful murals, food halls, concert venues, cocktail lounges and breweries. But long before RiNo was transformed into a trendy epicenter of art and craft cocktails, it was an industrial hub and home to one of the very first neighborhoods in Denver. Justine Sandoval, a community activist, grew up in RiNo and her family has been living there since the 1920s. âThere is a long history with Denver, and there were of course First Nation people here long before we populated Denver, but it was actually one of the first neighborhoods that was developed post-gold rush and post western expansion,â says Sandoval.