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Douglas County Turns 150! 

Douglas County officially turns 150 on November 1, 2011.

In 1861, the Colorado Territorial Session Laws created Douglas County, named after Stephen A. Douglas, famed orator, Senator, and presidential rival to Abraham Lincoln.

By the late 1850’s Euro-Americans began settling in Douglas County. The Green Russell Party’s initial gold discovery in eastern Douglas County on June 22, 1858 helped to trigger the 1858 Pikes Peak Gold Rush.  More than 150,000 gold seekers traveled to Colorado (back then it was known as Kansas Territory) to find their personal bonanzas.

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 Douglas County that are in evidence today.

Originally stretching from the Platte River to the Kansas border, Douglas County is one of the seventeen original counties and is virtually the geographic center of Colorado. The County spans approximately 844 square miles, 71 square miles of which are permanently protected land through the Douglas County Open Space Program. Recreational areas include more than 146,000 acres of Pike National Forest, Roxborough State Park, Castlewood Canyon State Park and the Chatfield State Recreation Area.

Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Larkspur, Lone Tree, and Parker make up the incorporated communities of Douglas County.  Aurora and Littleton partially lie within the County.  The County’s population is approximately 288,430 with a 1.0 percent annual growth rate from 2010 - 2011.

Douglas County's three-member Board of County Commissioners is the main policy-making body in the County and work to represent the interests of the citizens at local, state, and national levels. The philosophy of the Commissioners is “Setting the Standard of Excellence in Local Governance.”   Outstanding service delivery is one of Douglas County Government’s primary roles.  The voters elect the Commissioners, Assessor, Clerk and Recorder, Coroner, District Attorney, Sheriff and Treasurer to administer services.

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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 [316KB]

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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 [3.7MB]

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County Landmarks