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Castle Rock, Colorado

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Castle Rock, Colorado
Town
Downtown Castle Rock with its trademark rock formation rising in the background
Downtown Castle Rock with its trademark rock formation rising in the background
Location in Douglas County and the State of Colorado
Location in Douglas County and the State of Colorado
Location of Castle Rock in the State of Colorado
Location of Castle Rock in the State of Colorado
Country United States
State State of Colorado
CountyDouglas County Seat[1]
Founded1874
Incorporated (town)May 17, 1881[2]
Government
 • TypeHome Rule Municipality[1]
 • Town ManagerMark Stevens
Area
 • Total31.6 sq mi (81.9 km2)
 • Land31.6 sq mi (81.9 km2)
 • Water0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation
6,224 ft (1,897 m)
Population
 (2008)[3]
 • Total44,369
 • Density1,131/sq mi (247.1/km2)
Time zoneUTC-7 (MST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP Codes
80104, 80108, 80109[4]
Area code303 & 720
FIPS code08-12415
GNIS feature ID0169449
Websitetownofcastlerock.org
Second most populous Colorado town

The Town of Castle Rock is the county seat of Douglas County, Colorado, United StatesTemplate:GR and is named for the prominent castle tower-shaped butte near the center of town. It is part of the Colorado's Front Range Urban Corridor and is located roughly 28 miles (46 km) south of Denver and 37 miles (60 km) north of Colorado Springs.[5] The population in 2008 was estimated to be 44,369.[3]

History

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.

The region in and around Castle Rock was originally home to Native Americans of the Arapahoe and Cheyenne tribes. 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.

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.

A new train depot brought the Denver and Rio Grande Railway to the area. The depot building now houses the Castle Rock Historical Museum on Elbert Street, where visitors can see history of how Castle Rock changed over the years. Castle Rock currently encompasses about 35 square miles (91 km2), with a population of more than 42,000 [6] in town and 70,000 in the surrounding area.

From 1986 through 2006, a professional golf tournament was held in Castle Pines Village. The International, a PGA Tour event, was held in August at the Castle Pines Golf Club.

Geography

The town of Castle Rock is named after this prominent castle tower-shaped butte.

Castle Rock is located at 39°22′20″N 104°51′22″W / 39.37222°N 104.85611°W / 39.37222; -104.85611Invalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (39.372212, -104.856090) at an elevation of 6,224 feet (1,897 m).Template:GR The town lies in the Colorado Piedmont on the western edge of the Great Plains.[7] The Front Range of the Rocky Mountains lay a few miles to the west. East Plum Creek, a stream within the South Platte River drainage basin, runs north then northwest through Castle Rock.

Common landforms in Castle Rock consist of rock outcroppings, steep hillsides, cliffs, canyons, mesas, and plateaus. About 37 million years ago, a volcanic eruption took place that covered the area around Castle Rock with 20 feet of extremely resistant rock called rhyolite. After a few million years, mass flooding and erosion of the volcanic rock gave way to the castle-shaped butte that is the town's namesake.[8] The butte sits near the town's center, immediately north of downtown. Other prominent landforms visible from Castle Rock include Dawson Butte, Devils Head, Mount Evans and Pikes Peak.

Castle Rock is within the Colorado Foothills Life Zone.[9] The hillsides are covered with large meadows of grass, small plants, scattered juniper trees and open Ponderosa Pine woodlands. Other trees common in the area include Gambel Oak (Scrub Oak or Oak Brush), Pinyon, and Pinyon Pine. Local wildlife includes the American Badger, American Black Bear, Bobcat, Coyote, Colorado Chipmunk, Gray Fox, Mountain Cottontail Rabbit, Mountain Lion, Mule Deer, Pocket Gopher, Porcupine, and Skunk. Birds that can be found in the area include the Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Black-billed Magpie, Red-tailed Hawk, Pinyon Jay and Western Tanager.[10]

Castle Rock is located in central Colorado on Interstate 25 roughly 28 miles (46 km) south of Denver and 37 miles (60 km) north of Colorado Springs.[11] Lying within the Front Range Urban Corridor, the town is part of the greater Denver metropolitan area. Nearby communities include Castle Pines North, Lone Tree, Parker, Highlands Ranch, Larkspur, Franktown and Sedalia. According to the United States Census Bureau, Castle Rock has a total area of 31.6 square miles (81.9 km²).

Climate

Castle Rock has a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) with hot, dry summers and cold, dry winters. On average, the town receives 16.8 inches (43 cm) of precipitation annually. Snowfall averages 62.5 inches (159 cm) per year.[12] On average, January is the coolest month, July is the warmest month, and May is the wettest month. The hottest temperature recorded in Castle Rock was 99 °F (37 °C) in 1973; the coldest temperature recorded was -35 °F (-37 °C) in 1963.[13]

Climate data for Castle Rock, Colorado, USA
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Source: The Weather Channel;[13] Weatherbase[12]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
188088—
1890315258.0%
1900304−3.5%
191036520.1%
192046126.3%
19304783.7%
194058021.3%
195074127.8%
19601,15255.5%
19701,53132.9%
19803,921156.1%
19908,708122.1%
200020,224132.2%
2008 (est.)44,369

Castle Rock is the 17th most populous municipality in Colorado and is the center of the burgeoning urbanization of the county.

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 20,224 people, 7,226 households, and 5,542 families residing in the town. The population density was 639.9 people per square mile (247.0/km²). There were 7,447 housing units at an average density of 235.6/sq mi (91.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.85% White, 0.47% Black or African American, 0.62% Native American, 1.10% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.86% from other races, and 2.04% from two or more races. 6.18% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,226 households out of which 45.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.3% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.3% were non-families. 17.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the town the population was spread out with 31.6% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 38.2% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 4.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 101.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $69,138, and the median income for a family was $72,563 (these figures had risen to $81,136 and 88,811 respectively as of a 2007 estimate[14]). Males had a median income of $47,626 versus $32,328 for females. The per capita income for the town was $26,760. About 2.5% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Many of Castle Rock’s residents work in the Denver Technological Center, better known as "The Denver Tech Center" (DTC), which is a 15 minute drive north on I-25. Downtown Denver and Denver International Airport are both approximately a 40 minute drive from Castle Rock.

Government

Castle Rock is a Home Rule Municipality with a council-manager form of government. The town council consists of seven members, each representing an election district, elected to two-year terms. One member, appointed by the council, serves as mayor, presiding over council meetings, and another member serves as mayor pro tem. The council sets policy for the town, adopts ordinances, approves the town budget, makes major land-use decisions, and appoints key town government staff including the town manager, town attorney, municipal judge, and members of town boards and commissions.[15] The town manager supervises all departments, prepares and implements the town budget, and works with the council to develop policies and propose new plans.[16]

Education

Douglas County School District provides public primary and secondary education with fourteen schools in Castle Rock:[17][18][19][20][21]

Media

See also: Media in Denver, Colorado

Castle Rock has a weekly newspaper, The Douglas County News-Press.[22]

Castle Rock is part of the Denver radio and television market. Radio station KJMN is licensed to Castle Rock, but broadcasts from Denver playing a Spanish Adult Hits format on 92.1 FM.[23][24] Television station KETD, an affiliate of the LeSEA network, broadcasts on digital channel 46. Licensed to Castle Rock, the station is located near Centennial, Colorado.[25]

Cityscape

Neighborhoods

Castle Rock's postal codes include many neighborhoods:

Link to a Map of the Neighborhoods in Castle Rock, Colorado

Parks and recreation

Castle Rock’s open space and parks comprise 27% the town’s total land area (5,415 acres of parks and open space / 20,224 acres (31.6 sq. miles) total land area. Additionally, there are 56 miles of soft-surface and paved trails. [26]

  • Parks - Baldwin Park, Bison Park, Butterfield Park, Castle Highlands Park, Castle North Park, Castlewood Canyon State Park, Centennial Park, Festival Park, Founders Park, Gemstone Park, Glovers Tot Lot, Matney Park, Metzler Ranch Park, Mitchell Gulch Park, Paintbrush Park, Plum Creek Park, Rhyolite Regional Park, Rosecrown Park.
  • Trails & Open Space - East Plum Creek Trail, Gateway Mesa Open Space, Hidden Mesa Open Space, Memmen Ridge Open Space, Mitchell Creek Canyon Trail, Mitchell Creek Trail System, Native Legend Open Space, Quarry Mesa Open Space, Ridgeline Open Space, Rock Park, The Bowl.

Recognition

Castle Rock has been recognized by a number of national periodicals:

  • Forbes magazine named Castle Rock No. 5 of “America's 25 Best Places To Move,” 7 July 2009 [27]
  • Money magazine ranked Douglas County No. 5 in the United States for “Job Growth over the Last Eight Years”. (Towns include Castle Rock, Parker, Stonegate, Lone Tree, and Highlands Ranch), 18 August 2009 [28]
  • American City Business Journals (ACBJ) ranked Douglas County No. 4 in the nation for “Quality of Life,” May 2004 [29]
  • Denver Business Journal reported that Castle Rock was ranked No. 6 on Gadberry Group’s list of "2008 High-Growth Areas in the United States". 9 January 2009 [30]
  • SchoolDigger.com ranked Douglas County School District No.1 in the Denver Metropolitan Area and No.12 in Colorado based on 2009 test scores. (School district rankings were determined by averaging the rankings of individual schools within each of the 122 districts evaluated). Source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education, and Colorado Department of Education. [31]
  • Family Circle magazine ranked Castle Rock No. 1 in the nation in its list of the “10 Best Towns for Families," August 2010 (Available at newsstands on July 10, 2010).[32] The article shares the results of the magazine’s quest to identify "the best communities across the country that combine big-city opportunities with suburban charm" and "an ideal blend of affordable houses, good jobs, top-rated schools, wide-open spaces and a lot less stress." [33] This is Castle Rock's second time making Family Circle's top ten list. In the August 2007 issue Castle Rock was ranked No. 9. [34]

Notable natives and residents

References

  1. ^ a b "Active Colorado Municipalities". State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs. Retrieved 2007-09-01.
  2. ^ "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. 2004-12-01. Retrieved 2007-08-15.
  3. ^ a b Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Colorado April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008 Retrieved 2009-12-23
  4. ^ "ZIP Code Lookup" (JavaScript/HTML). United States Postal Service. Retrieved September 4, 2007.
  5. ^ "City Distance Tool". Geobytes. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
  6. ^ www.crgov.com
  7. ^ "Physiographic provinces of Colorado". Colorado Geographic Survey. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
  8. ^ Johnson, Kirk R.; et al. (2006). Ancient Denvers. Fulcrum Publishing. ISBN 978-1555915544. {{cite book}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |first= (help)
  9. ^ "http://shelledy.mesa.k12.co.us/staff/computerlab/ColoradoLifeZones_Interactive_Diagram_Elevation.html". {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  10. ^ "http://shelledy.mesa.k12.co.us/staff/computerlab/ColoradoLifeZones_Foothills.htm". {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  11. ^ "City Distance Tool". Geobytes. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
  12. ^ a b "Historical Weather for Castle Rock, Colorado, United States of America". Weatherbase. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
  13. ^ a b "Average weather for Castle Rock, CO". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
  14. ^ factfinder.census.gov
  15. ^ "Town Government". Town of Castle Rock. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  16. ^ "Town Manager's Office". Town of Castle Rock. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  17. ^ "Castle Rock, Colorado". City-Data.com. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  18. ^ "Elementary School Directory". Douglas County School District RE-1. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  19. ^ "Middle School Directory". Douglas County School District RE-1. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  20. ^ "High School Directory". Douglas County School District RE-1. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  21. ^ "Options School Directory". Douglas County School District RE-1. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  22. ^ "Advertise with Us". Colorado Community Newspapers. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
  23. ^ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
  24. ^ "Contacto". Entravision Communications Corporation. Retrieved 2010-04-05.
  25. ^ "TVQ TV Database Query". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
  26. ^ "http://crgov.com/index.aspx?nid=75". {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  27. ^ "http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/07/relocate-relocation-cities-lifestyle-real-estate-affordable-moving_slide_6.html". {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  28. ^ "http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2009/top25s/financial/jobgrowth.html". {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  29. ^ "http://www.bizjournals.com/edit_special/13.html". {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  30. ^ "http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/01/05/daily49.html". {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  31. ^ "http://www.schooldigger.com/go/CO/districtrank.aspx". {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  32. ^ "http://www.familycircle.com/family-fun/money/10-best-towns-for-families/". {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  33. ^ [http://www.castlerock.org/relocation_guide.asp, the day that Family Circle magazine unveils its “10 Best Towns for Families.” "http://www.castlerock.org/relocation_guide.asp"]. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); External link in |title= (help); line feed character in |url= at position 56 (help)
  34. ^ "http://http://www.credco.org/news/famcircletop10.pdf" (PDF).

See also

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