Castle Rock, Colorado
| Castle Rock, Colorado | |
|---|---|
| Home Rule Municipality | |
 Location within Douglas County and Colorado |
|
 Location of Castle Rock in the State of Colorado |
|
| Coordinates: 39°22′34″N 104°51′13″W / 39.376089°N 104.853487°WCoordinates: 39°22′34″N 104°51′13″W / 39.376089°N 104.853487°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| County | Douglas |
| Founded | 1874 |
| Incorporated (town) | May 17, 1881 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Home Rule Municipality |
| • Town Manager | Dave Corliss |
| Area | |
| • Total | 33.79 sq mi (87.5 km2) |
| • Land | 33.79 sq mi (87.5 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,224 ft (1,897 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 48,231 |
| • Estimate (2014) | 55,747 |
| • Density | 1,400/sq mi (550/km2) |
| Time zone | MST (UTC-7) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
| ZIP Codes | 80104, 80108, 80109 |
| Area code(s) | 303 & 720 |
| INCITS place code | 0812415 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0169449 |
| Website | www |
Castle Rock is a home rule municipality that is the county seat of Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The most populous municipality of the county, the community's population was 48,231 at the 2010 United States Census, with an estimated population of 55,747 as of 2014. It is named for the prominent, castle tower-shaped butte near the center of town. Located midway between Denver and Colorado Springs, Castle Rock is part of the Front Range Urban Corridor.
The region in and around Castle Rock was originally home to the Arapaho and Cheyenne people. They occupied the land between the Arkansas and South Platte Rivers.
White settlers were drawn to the area by rumors of gold and by land opened through the Homestead Act of 1862. However, it was the discovery of rhyolite stone, not gold, that ultimately led to the settlement of Castle Rock.
Castle Rock was founded in 1874 when the eastern Douglas County border was redrawn to its present location. Castle Rock was chosen as the county seat because of its central location.
One of the first homesteaders in the area near today's Castle Rock was Jeremiah Gould. He owned about 160 acres (0.65 km2) to the south of "The (Castle) Rock." At that time, the settlement consisted of just a few buildings for prospectors, workers, and cowboys. In 1874, Jeremiah Gould donated 120 acres (0.49 km2) to the new town that was also now home to the Douglas County government. For the beginning the six streets named Elbert, Jerry, Wilcox, Perry, Castle and Front were laid out to build the actual town of Castle Rock. The Courthouse Square was defined and about 77 lots, each 50 by 112 feet (34 m), were auctioned off for a total profit of US$3,400.
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