Douglas County Video
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Welcome to Douglas County’s Historic Preservation Webpage!
The shared history of Colorado and the County gives local communities a deep connection to their surroundings and a sense of place. As early as the late 1850’s Euro-American settlement began in the County. Many towns and homesteads developed as word spread about the discovery of gold, and the vast richness of the County’s natural resources. Railroads, farms, dairies, sawmills, mines, resorts and other industries helped to build portions of the County that are in evidence today.
The Douglas County Historic Preservation Board (HPB) was established to promote the awareness and value of the County’s prehistory, history and heritage. The HPB and Community Planning and Sustainable Development staff provide programs to preserve the cultural resources that are attached to this legacy.
The Douglas County Landmarks Program was created to encourage the preservation of the unique historic and cultural heritage of the County and Colorado. The sites contribute to a sense of local identity and culture and provide real-life educational experiences.
Other activities include:
- conducting cultural resource surveys to inventory and identify historic resources;
- reviewing development applications and demolition permits; and
- evaluating preservation policy.
A Brief History of Douglas County Brochure [316 KB]
Self-guided driving tour of Douglas County history
Celebrate Douglas County’s pivotal role in Colorado history by taking a self-guided driving tour throughout the County. Some of the highlights include: Learning about local ranches that were in operation before Highlands Ranch became a bustling planned development at the Cheese Ranch Historic Park; visiting the Pikes Peak Grange, where local farmers organized cooperative measures for best crop production legislative measures and practices; and seeing the remnants of a gold rush town known as Nighthawk in the Pike National Forest.
Heritage Hunt Brochure [1.2 MB]
The Douglas County Historic Resource Map shows where some of the historic and cultural resources are in Douglas County, and they include settlements, railroads, railroad grades, cemeteries, grave sites, stage lines, stage stops, schools trails, etc. Please click on the link below to view the map.
Douglas County Historic Resource Map [3.7 MB]