|
Castle Pines golf course, designed by Jack Nicklaus,
opened in 1980. The subdivision now hosts 2 golf courses and the International,
a PGA golf Tournament. Photo courtesy Castle
Pines Village Realty
Ponderosa High School opened in 1984. It was the first high school to
open in Douglas County since the Douglas
RE-1 School District was formed in 1952. Photo from 1989 Ponderosa
High School Yearbook.
The Douglas County Libraries was formed in 1990. It includes branch
libraries at Castle Rock (Philip S. Miller), Parker, Highlands Ranch,
Louviers, and Lone Tree. Satellite libraries are available at Cherry Valley
and Roxborough.
The Castle Rock Factory shops opened in Castle Rock in 1992, It is one
of the largest outlet malls in the United States. In 1998, the name was
changed to Prime Outlets at Castle Rock. Ephemera File, Douglas County History Research Center and Prime
Outlets at Castle Rock.
Shea Homes Purchased Highlands Ranch from Mission Viejo
in 1997. The community has 13,000 acres of open space, parks, trails and
community facilities A total of 90,000 residents are expected to occupy
some 36,700 homes in the Highlands Ranch community. Photo by James
Cook Photography Courtesy Shea
Homes
The Wilcox Building stands where the Douglas
County Courthouse once stood. An addition was built on the front of the
building in 1999. Photo taken by Douglas County History Research Center Staff.
The Highlands Ranch Library opened in 2000. Designed by
Humphries Poli Architects, it is the newest of the Douglas County Libraries's current libraries. Douglas County Libraries Photo.
|
1980
|
| |
| * Castle Pines golf course, designed by Jack Nicklaus,
opens. |
| * August 4 Mission Viejo Company began construction
on the site of the new town of Highlands Ranch. |
| * Douglas County's population is 25,042 (DRCOG) |
|
1980-1990
|
| |
| * Douglas County has the highest percentage of new
housing units in the country. |
|
1981
|
| |
| * September First family moves into new town of Highlands
Ranch. |
| * Town of Parker is incorporated. |
|
1982
|
| |
| * December 22-24 Major Christmas snowstorm paralyzes
Douglas County and the Front Range. |
|
1983
|
|
|
| * Branch library opens in Northridge Elementary School
in Highlands Ranch. (Maguire) |
| * Ponderosa High School opens south of Parker (News-Press) |
| * May 10 - Hwy 67 between Westcreek and Deckers washes
out from a flood along the South Platte (News-Press) |
|
1984
|
| |
| * Acres Green Library closes to make room for C-470.
(Maguire) |
|
1985
|
| |
| * Oakes Mill Library opens. (Maguire) |
|
1986
|
| |
| * International Golf Tournament held for the first
time at the Castle Pines Golf Course. |
|
1987
|
| |
| * Philip S Miller Library opens at 961 Plum Creek
Parkway in Castle Rock. (Maguire) |
|
1988
|
| |
| * Douglas County School District moves Oaklands School
building to grounds of South Elementary School in Castle Rock. (News
Press, 1988) |
| * Historic Frankstown established (Appleby
p. 58) |
|
1989
|
| |
| * Highlands Ranch library leaves Northridge Elementary,
joins Oakes Mill Library. (Maguire) |
| * Highlands Heritage Regional Park opens in Highlands
Ranch. (Appleby p.66) |
|
1990
|
| |
| * Douglas County Libraries is formed as an
independent taxing district. (Maguire) |
| * Population of Douglas County is 54,250. (140% population
growth from 1980. Median household income is 51,864 (Wall
Street Journal 8 March 1994, DRCOG) |
|
1991
|
| |
| * Highlands Ranch Library opens in storefront. (Maguire) |
|
1992
|
| |
| * Castle Rock Factory Shops opens (Ephemera) |
|
1994
|
| |
| * Larkspur, Cherry Valley, and Roxborough satellite
libraries open. (Maguire) |
| * December 25 - Minor earthquake centered in Castle
Rock shakes Douglas County (News Press
26 December 1994) |
|
* Castle Rock Historic Preservation Board established
(Appleby p.17)
|
| * Russellville archaeological site survey completed.
(Appleby p.59) |
|
1995
|
| |
| * Douglas County becomes the fastest growing county
in the State of Colorado. (Douglas County
Trail 9/12/1996) |
| * Castlewood Canyon Dam site put on Colorado Register
of Historic Places. |
|
1996
|
| |
| * Castle Rock Museum opens in former Denver and Rio
Grande Railroad Depot (Castle Rock Museum) |
|
* Park Meadows Shopping Mall opens in August. (Ephemera)
|
| * Douglas County acquires Prairie Canyon Ranch, purchases
development easement on Cherokee Ranch. (DC
News Press 18 September 1996 and 11 December 1996) |
| * Larkspur library satellite closes. (Maguire) |
| * Thunder Ridge High School opens in Highlands Ranch
(News-Press, 10 Feb 1996) |
| * May 18 -Buffalo Creek Fire destroys 10,000 acres
in the Pike National Forest. |
| * June - Incorporation of City of
Lone Tree (News-Press) |
|
1997
|
| |
| * Douglas County is the fastest growing county in
the United States. 30 car pileup on Surrey Ridge Road, 55 car accident
near Castle Rock on I-25. |
| * Median household income in Douglas County is $63,570
(DC News-Press 12 April 1997) |
| * Robert A. Christensen Justice Center named after
County Commissioner (Appleby p.
16) |
| * Philip S. Miller Administration Building constructed
in Castle Rock out of Rhyolite. (Appleby
p.17) |
| * Shea Homes purchases Highlands Ranch from Mission
Viejo |
|
1998
|
| |
| * Chaparral High School opens in Parker (Yearbooks)
|
| * Lone Tree Library opens on Lone
Tree Parkway (Maguire)
|
|
1999
|
| |
| * Dawson Butte is protected by a conservation easement.
(DC News-Press 13 October 1999) |
| * Douglas County has grown 160% since 1990. (Highlands
Ranch Herald 3/16/2000) |
| * Louviers named
to National Register of Historic Places (Appleby
p.) |
| * Douglas County Administration building gains addition
on the Wilcox side of the building. |
|
1999-2000
|
| |
| * Douglas County has highest median income of any
county in the United States, with average household earning over $77,000
per year. (DC News-Press 19 April
2000) |
|
2000
|
| |
| * Greenland Ranch is protected as open space (DC
News Press 19 April 2000) |
| * Highlands Ranch Library opens in new town center
of Highlands Ranch. (Maguire) |
|
