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Delta, Colorado

Delta is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Delta County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 9,035 at the 2020 United States Census. The United States Forest Service headquarters of the Grand Mesa, Gunnison, and Uncompahgre National Forests are located in Delta.

History
Delta was built as a trading post for the Ute people and early settlers. Fort Uncompahgre was built in 1828.

The town was named because of its location on the delta where the Uncompahgre River flows into the Gunnison River. The town was incorporated in 1882.

Geography
Delta is located in southwestern Delta County. The downtown area is situated south of the Gunnison River and east of the Uncompahgre River. The city limits extend north across the Gunnison into the area now known as "North Delta", then west 6 mi along U.S. Route 50 as far as Westwinds Airport.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 35.043 km2 including 0.665 km2 of water.

Delta is part of the Colorado Western Slope region.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 8,915 people, 3,530 households, and 2,337 families living in the city. The population density was 1,682.1 PD/sqmi. There were 3,825 housing units at an average density of 721.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 82.2% White, 0.2% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 12.5% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 26.1% of the population.

There were 3,530 households, out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49, and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.7% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males.

Art and culture

Fort Uncompahgre was built in 1828, established as a fur trading post by Antoine Robidoux. Tour guides dress in period attire and trap beavers, make buckskins, knap arrowheads, and work the forge.

Tourism
Parks:
 * Pow Wow Arbor
 * Mountain View Pavilion
 * Riley Pavilion / Cleland Park
 * Shade Pavilion Island
 * Cottonwood Park
 * Emerald Hills Park
 * From the city, one can see the Grand Mesa Mountain range. It is the largest flat-topped mountain in the world.

Media
The principal newspaper is the Delta County Independent, which is published weekly on Wednesdays. Local readers also enjoy The High Country Shopper, a free paper that distributes over 15,000 copies throughout the county. They also have a Facebook page that anyone could follow.

Transportation
Montrose Regional Airport, located 21 mi south of Delta, is the closest airport served by scheduled airlines. In Grand Junction, which is 39 mi to the north, there are also scheduled airline services, as well as an Amtrak train station with a daily California Zephyr departure in each direction. Delta is part of Colorado's Bustang network. It is on the Durango-Grand Junction Outrider line.

Major highways

 * [[Image:US 50.svg|25px]] U.S. Highway 50 runs east-west, crossing 12 states and linking Sacramento, California, with Ocean City, Maryland. In Colorado, it passes through Delta as Main Street and connects the city to Montrose, Grand Junction and Pueblo.
 * [[Image:Colorado 65.svg|25px]] State Highway 65 is a 61 mi stretch that runs north from State Highway 92 east of Delta, over the Grand Mesa, to Interstate 70 near Palisade.
 * [[Image:Colorado 92.svg|25px]] State Highway 92 begins in Delta, at the intersection of Main Street and First Street. It runs 73 mi to the east, re-encountering US 50 near Blue Mesa Reservoir and Curecanti National Recreation Area.

Health care
Delta County Memorial Hospital serves the city and the surrounding area. In addition to the main hospital, seven specialty clinics are available. In April 2021 a COVID-19 outbreak occurred among the Delta Police Department. This incident happened four months after COVID-19 vaccinations became available to all first responders in Colorado free of charge.

Schools
Delta is part of the Delta County School District, which also includes Cedaredge, Crawford, Hotchkiss, and Paonia. The school district serves 4,792 students as of the 2020-2021 academic year.

Delta is also home to Technical College of the Rockies, a small trade school serving roughly 300 students annually.

Notable people

 * Chuck Cottier, baseball player and manager
 * Dale Ishimoto, American actor
 * Frank H. Ono, Medal of Honor recipient
 * Matt Soper, Colorado Representative, House District 54
 * Felix L. Sparks, Colorado Supreme Court justice, U.S. Army colonel

title: Delta, Colorado


text:
Hotchkiss, Colorado

Hotchkiss is a statutory town in Delta County, Colorado, United States. The population was 875 at the 2020 census.

A post office called Hotchkiss has been in operation since 1882. The town is named after Enos T. Hotchkiss, a local pioneer.

Geography
Hotchkiss is located in eastern Delta County on the north side of the North Fork Gunnison River.

Colorado State Highway 92 passes through the center of town as Bridge Street, leading west 20 mi to Delta, the county seat, and southeast 52 mi to U.S. Route 50 at Blue Mesa Reservoir. Colorado State Highway 133 starts at the east end of town and leads northeast 66 mi over McClure Pass to Carbondale.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Hotchkiss has a total area of 2.4 km2, all of it land.

Schools
The Delta County School District Board of Education decided in February 2021 to close separate high schools in Hotchkiss and Paonia, Colorado and build a joint high school, North Fork High School, located in Hotchkiss. Both schools have been losing students as coal mines in the area have closed. Kindergarten to 8th grade education will continue in both communities.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Hotchkiss, Colorado


text:
Orchard City, Colorado

Orchard City is a statutory town in Delta County, Colorado, United States. The population was 3,142 at the 2020 census. There are three post offices serving Orchard City: Austin (ZIP code 81410), Cory (ZIP code 81414), Eckert (ZIP code 81418).

Geography
Orchard City is located in central Delta County at 38.81639°N, -107.97694°W (38.816360, -107.976951). Colorado State Highway 65 passes through the town, leading southwest 9 mi to Delta, the county seat, and northeast 6 mi to the town of Cedaredge. Eckert is in the northern part of the town, and Cory is in the southwest, both along Highway 65. Austin is in the southeast corner of the town, on the north side of Colorado State Highway 92, which leads west 7 mi to Delta and east 13 mi to Hotchkiss.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Orchard City has a total area of 29.6 km2, of which 0.02 sqkm, or 0.06%, is water.

History
In the early 20th century, because residents in the area were getting sick from drinking ditch water, three small communities (Austin, Cory, and Eckert) agreed to consolidate in order to be able to raise enough money to build a water pipeline. Thus Orchard City was incorporated in 1912, but even to this day it's more common for people to refer to one of the three specific communities within the boundaries of Orchard City. The community was named for an orchard near the original town site.

Government and politics
The Town of Orchard City is governed by a council of six elected at-large trustees and an independently elected mayor. Together, the mayor and trustees, form the government of the Town of Orchard City. The Board of Trustees typically meets twice a month for a work session and meeting.

In 1912, the first election saw George Williamson elected mayor, and the trustees were J.P. Kettle, George Weyrauch, E.E. White, William Start, E.J. Coffey, and Charles Dixon. The first Town Clerk was Ernest Sudgen.

In 1993, the Town of Orchard City and the Field of Dreams build a baseball park with the help of Colorado Great Outdoors Funds. By 2000, controversy over finances and maintenance resulted in the town developing an enterprise fund to directly manage the park.

In 2004, the ACE Citizens Committee, which included E.J. Verdahl, Jack Chaffee, and Robert Denton, was successful in a petition drive that led to the recall of Orchard City Trustee Katie Benson Schuster Sickles.

Prior to the recall election of April 2004, the Colorado District Court heard oral arguments in the case of Burgess v. Town of Orchard City, which examined whether David Burgess, candidate running against Trustee Schuster, satisfied the residential requirements in order to run. Trustee Schuster alleged that Burgess should not be certified to run, because he did not live in the town. Town Clerk Gio Garver refused to certify Burgess' petition because the town was not 100% certain where he lived. Burgess was remodelling his home and lived in a temporary trailer outside the town limits. The court held that Colorado Revised Statute 31-10-301 and the case of Theobald v. Byrns in which the Colorado Supreme Court interpreted domicile as being left up to the individual to choose which address they would make as their domicile, thus Mr. Burgess’ voter registration could be used to help determine domicile. David Burgess was defeated in his re-election bid in April 2006.

On December 12, 2006, Mayor Tom Huerkamp survived a special recall election in which Guy Cooper challenged the incumbent. Under the Huerkamp Administration, the town built a $1.3 million town hall, ended a Prohibition Era ban on the sale of alcohol in town, and renamed most of the town's roads, along with removing highway signs referencing the unincorporated communities of Cory, Eckert and Austin. During the mid-2000s, Orchard City's board of trustees meetings were emotional events that packed dozens of citizens into the gallery and typically ended with sheriff's deputies separating Huerkamp loyalists from detractors. In April 2008, Mayor Huerkamp lost his re-election bid to then-trustee, Don Suppes.

In 2012, Trustee Matt Soper, at age 27, was elected the youngest trustee in the town's 100-year history.

On April 6, 2016, Trustee Ken Volgamore, who was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Trustee Soper, was elected mayor of Orchard City, defeating long time trustee, Jan Gage, 58% to 42%. The current Board of Trustees consists of Craig Fuller, Dick Kirkpatrick, Gynee Thomassen, Thomas H. Huerkamp (former mayor), Bob Eckels, and a vacancy created with the election of Trustee Volgamore to serve as mayor.

title: Orchard City, Colorado


text:
Paonia, Colorado

Paonia is a statutory town in Delta County, Colorado, United States. The population was 1,447 at the 2020 census.

History
The area was first explored by a white man of European descent in 1853, Captain John W. Gunnison of the United States Army. Gunnison was on an expedition for the Corps of Topographical Engineers to locate a suitable pass through the Rocky Mountains.

The North Fork Valley was inhabited by the Ute people until 1880, when the Ute Indian Reservation was closed by the federal government following the infamous Meeker Massacre.

Following the closure of the reservation, the site was settled in 1880 by Samuel Wade and William Clark, who had accompanied Enos Hotchkiss to the area. The town was officially incorporated in 1902 and had its first election in July of that year. The peony roots that Samuel Wade brought with him to Colorado in 1881 inspired him to submit the Latin name for peony, Paeonia, as a town name. The post office would not allow the extra vowel, so "Paeonia" became "Paonia". The full name of the flower is Paeonia mascula.

Geography
Paonia is located in eastern Delta County. It is situated on the North Fork Gunnison River ("North Fork River"), about 10 mi northeast of (upstream from) neighboring Hotchkiss. It lies near the head of the North Fork Valley, an area about 150 mi by air southwest of Denver. The valley lies at the foot of 11396 ft Mount Lamborn to the southeast and the Grand Mesa to the northwest.

Colorado State Highway 133 touches the northwest boundary of Paonia as the highway runs up the North Fork Valley; it leads southwest 9 mi to Hotchkiss and northeast 58 mi over McClure Pass to Carbondale.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Paonia has a total area of 2.2 km2, all of it land.

Coal mining
The valley's principal coal mines are all now closed except for Arch Coal's West Elk Mine, Bucyrus International, a supplier of underground coal mining equipment, operates a small warehouse in Paonia for support of the underground longwall systems that are operating in the North Fork valley. Union Pacific provides service to the mine, loading 100 car trains in two hours. The most recent mine closure shuttered Bowie #2 Mine.

The community has mounted legal challenges to proposed oil and gas drilling fracking in the surrounding North Fork Valley.

Agriculture
The area around Paonia is known for its orchards which produce peaches, apples, cherries, pears, and plums. In addition, several vineyards and wineries have been established in the area, and are some of the highest wineries in North America. Five of the more well-known wineries are Alfred Eames Winery, Black Bridge Winery, Stone Cottage Cellars, Azura Cellars, and Endless Endeavor Winery. This is one of the few regions of Colorado that has successfully cultivated and bottled a pinot noir. The Paonia wineries are part of the West Elk Wineries Trail and annual Tour held the second week of June.

Some of Colorado's best livestock also comes from this region. The livestock includes cattle, sheep, poultry, and pigs.

Schools
The Delta County School District Board of Education decided in February 2021 to close separate high schools in Paonia and Hotchkiss, Colorado, and build a joint high school, North Fork High School, located in Hotchkiss. Both schools have been losing students as coal mines in the area have closed. Kindergarten to 8th grade education will continue in both communities.

Media
The noted Western newspaper, High Country News, is based in Paonia. High Country News reports on the western United States and is focused on the environment, land use, and public lands issues.

Community radio station KVNF was founded in Paonia and continues to have studios in downtown Paonia. KVNF also now serves a number of towns in the North Fork and Uncompaghre valleys in western Colorado through a network of stations and translators.

Paonia does not have a local newspaper. It is served by The North Fork Times, formerly an independent paper and now a section in the Delta County Independent. The area is also served by the monthly North Fork Merchant Herald, published in nearby Hotchkiss. The weekly Mountain Valley News was published in Cedaredge and distributed widely throughout Delta County, but closed in September 2013. Their sister publication, The High Country Shopper, is published in Paonia.

Climate
Paonia has a humid continental climate (Dfb) with hot summers and moderately cold winters. On average, Paonia has 246 sunny days per year. Paonia averages 14 inches of rain and 53 inches of snow per year. The average July high is 89 °F and the average January low is 14 °F.

Paonia Cherry Days Festival
Paonia celebrates its "Cherry Days" festival annually on the week of July 4. It features parades, family and class reunions, games, arts and crafts, and musical performances. Paonia Cherry Days is one of the longest running outdoor festivals in Colorado. Started by the Paonia Lions Club in 1946, the festival continues to be run by community volunteers.

Mountain Harvest Festival
The Mountain Harvest Festival is a three-day event in downtown Paonia held during the last weekend of September. There are over 20 musical acts, poetry, an art show, a chili cook off, a street dance, crafts, wine tasting, as well as classes on canning, raising livestock, and sustainable living.

Rainbow Gathering
In 1992 the annual Rainbow Gathering was held at nearby Overland Reservoir. An estimated 18,275 people converged on the site and lived in temporary dwellings for the summer. Although the reservoir is 27 mi from Paonia, it had a significant impact on all the towns in the North Fork Valley, including Paonia. Many "New Agers" and members of the psychedelic community continue to reside in and around Paonia, which was the boyhood home of one of the voices and key figures of "ecstatic state" knowledge, Terence McKenna.

Paonia Film Festival
The Paradise Theater in downtown Paonia hosts a biennial film festival. The Paonia Film Festival celebrates the beauty of the Western Colorado landscape and the rich stories of the people who live there.

The 2021 Paonia Film Festival shifted to showcase filmmakers local to the Western Slope of Colorado and filmmakers through the Western United States on a two-tier system. Its event dates are November 6–7, 2021.

Pickin' in the Park
The town has live music in the park every Thursday evening during the month of August.

Notable people

 * Robert E. Huyser — four-star general in the United States Air Force
 * Thurman "Fum" McGraw — college football All-American and Super Bowl Champion
 * Dennis McKenna — ethnopharmacologist, research pharmacognosist, lecturer, and author
 * Terence McKenna — ethnobotanist, lecturer, and author
 * Paolo Bacigalupi — American science fiction and fantasy writer
 * Theo Colborn — scientist, founder of The Endocrine Disruption Exchange, author

title: Paonia, Colorado


text:
Dove Creek, Colorado

Dove Creek is a statutory town that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Dolores County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 635 at the 2020 United States Census. The community takes its name from the nearby Dove Creek. Dove Creek is the self-proclaimed Pinto Bean Capital of the World.

History
The Old Spanish Trail trade route passed through the area of Dove Creek from 1829 into the 1850s.

A post office at Dove Creek has been in operation since 1915.

There are several area prehistoric and historic sites listed on the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties:
 * Brewer Archaeological District of two large prehistoric settlement sites: Brewer Mesa Pueblo (11th century) and Brewer Canyon Pueblo (13th century)
 * Glade Ranger Station, dated before 1910
 * P.R. Butt & Sons Building, built in 1914, generally considered the town's second building

Geography
Dove Creek is located in western Dolores County on US 491 (formerly US 666) at the crossing of Dove Creek, the town's namesake. Dove Creek flows south to Cross Canyon, Montezuma Creek, Utah, and the San Juan River. The town is located on the northern portion of the Great Sage Plain, a large plateau covered in desert lands, bounded by the La Plata Mountains, Mesa Verde National Park, the La Sal Mountains, and the Abajo Mountains, and cut by dozens of deep canyons, which was and is a productive agricultural region. The plateau is dotted with numerous ruins of the Anasazi and other ancient people who took advantage of good soils and terrain, even with limited water resources.

The Dolores County Courthouse, built in 1957, replaces a temporary courthouse in the town used after voters of the county moved the county seat from Rico to Dove Creek in 1947, reflecting a shift in the original mining-oriented make-up of the county's population to the current situation in which farmers and a few ranchers outnumber the mountain-dwellers in the old mining districts of the eastern end of Dolores County. The courthouse is adjacent to Dolores County High School, and is part of the old business district located north of US 491; most business is now located on US 491 as it angles through the town from east-southeast to west-northwest. A regional landmark is the large concrete bean elevator located on the west edge of town, near the Dolores County Industrial Park. SH 141 intersects US 491 just west of town, and provides access to the Paradox Valley, Nucla-Naturita, and the uranium mining and industrial area of Montrose County, Colorado, and Grand County, Utah.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 1.483 km2, all of it land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 698 people, 285 households, and 202 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,322.5 PD/sqmi. There were 326 housing units at an average density of 617.7 /mi2. The racial makeup of the town was 96.28% White, 1.86% Native American, 0.29% from other races, and 1.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.87% of the population.

There were 285 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.8% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males. The median income for a household in the town was $27,500, and the median income for a family was $32,813. Males had a median income of $28,333 versus $17,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,015. About 8.9% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.9% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The Dolores County Industrial Park is located west of Dove Creek and is the site of a plant which began construction in 2007, which produces food-grade vegetable oil from sunflowers, safflower, and canola grown in the Dove Creek area, and will ultimately produce biodiesel. The industrial park is home to the community's first ready-mix plant in many decades, and other businesses. New housing developments have been permitted and platted in the Dove Creek area, anticipating growth due to efforts like this. On the eastern edge of the town is the headquarters and facility of Adobe Milling, a company marketing various locally-grown beans and other traditional Southwestern foods.

Major employers in the town include the county government and school district, and various other government agencies. Most businesses in town support agricultural operations; some provide transportation services for highway users.

Community news
The Dove Creek Press is an 824-circulation weekly newspaper, locally owned and operated by Kathleen "Kat" Keesling since January 2017. The Press office is located at 321 Main St, Dove Creek, CO 81324.

According to Keesling, the Dove Creek Press was first published May 10, 1940, on eight broadsheet pages. The cost of a subscription was $2 per year. The Ladies Civic Club held a subscription drive, receiving 25¢ per subscription in return. The newspaper was printed in house. It was a broadsheet typical of that era, 21 inches tall by 14 ½ inches wide. The newspapers were frequently a sideline for printers.

title: Dove Creek, Colorado


text:
Rico, Colorado

Rico is a town in Dolores County, Colorado, United States. It was settled in 1879 as a silver mining center in the Pioneer Mining District; today it functions as a historic and tourism site. The population was 288 at the 2020 census. Its current form of government is that of a home rule municipality.

Rico is a name derived from Spanish meaning "rich".

Geography
Rico is located in eastern Dolores County in the valley of the Dolores River. Colorado State Highway 145 passes through the town as it follows the river, leading southwest 48 mi to Cortez and northeast over Lizard Head Pass 27 mi to Telluride.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town of Rico has an area of 2.0 sqkm, all of it land.

Climate
Rico experiences an alpine subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc) with long, cold, very snowy winters and short, cool summers due to the high altitude and high precipitation year-round due to orographic lift.

Transportation
Rico is part of Colorado's Bustang network. It is on the Durango-Grand Junction Outrider line. Rico was a water stop on the Rio Grande Southern Railroad, the storied narrow gauge line running from Ridgway to Durango until the railroad was abandoned in 1952. The water tank used to refill the tenders of the steam locomotives still stands on the west side of the former grade, years since it was last used.

title: Rico, Colorado


text:
Acres Green, Colorado

Acres Green is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Acres Green CDP was 2,922 at the 2020 United States Census. It is bordered by Lone Tree to the north, east and south and Highlands Ranch to the west. The community lies in ZIP Code 80124.

History
The Acres Green subdivision was built by the Morris General contractors with construction beginning on a former pasture south of County Line Road near Interstate 25 in 1971 This was the first housing development in northern Douglas County. Construction on the sixth and final filling would be completed 12 years later.

The subdivision was being built up as Denver began to prosper with an economic boom because of the energy industry. Although the subdivision is about 20 mi from downtown, the Denver Technological Center was growing a few miles to the north along I-25 while the Inverness office complex just to the east of the interstate was in its infancy. By the time of the late 1970s, the subdivision contained a park, elementary school and library.

As Denver grew to the south along the I-25 corridor during this time, there was a need for additional housing. However, the area around the Acres Green community would remain largely isolated for many years. The nearest development was in southern Arapahoe County was over 2 mi north of Acres Green until development extended south to County Line Road in the early-1980s. The majority of Acres Green was complete before the Highlands Ranch community had even begun to the west around the same time. Development of that community would not reach the area west Acres Green until the early-1990s. The SH 470 highway was built between the homes of Acres Green and County Line Road in the mid-1980s. The library, which was built in 1979 was leveled because it stood in the path of the highway.

In the mid-1990s, Denver began another economic boom because of the technology industry. As the decade progressed, the long-time empty land around the Acres Green began to disappear. The Meridian office complex was developed to the southeast. Also, the Park Meadows shopping mall spurred large scale retail development all around the development. Many other subdivisions were built to the south of Acres Green which became known as Lone Tree.

Today
Acres Green is now a well matured subdivision in a convenient location for those who work in the southeast part of Denver. During 1995 the city of Lone Tree incorporated, nearly surrounding the community. Homeowners voted against annexation and today still remain an unincorporated area of Douglas County.

Geography
The Acres Green CDP has an area of 1.557 km2, all land.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Acres Green CDP for the United States Census 2000.

Education
The Douglas County School District serves Acres Green.

title: Acres Green, Colorado


text:
Carriage Club, Colorado

Carriage Club is a neighborhood in the City of Lone Tree, Douglas County, Colorado, United States. A former census-designated place (CDP), the population was 1,002 at the United States Census 2000.

Geography
Carriage Club is located at 39.532°N, -104.901°W.

title: Carriage Club, Colorado


text:
Castle Pines, Colorado

The City of Castle Pines is a home rule municipality located in Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 11,036 at the 2020 United States Census. Castle Pines is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corridor. The city is located north of the Town of Castle Rock and south of the City of Lone Tree, Colorado.

History
The "City of Castle Pines North" was approved by popular vote on November 6, 2007, and officially incorporated with the first election of municipal officers on February 12, 2008. At the time of incorporation, Castle Pines was Douglas County's first new city since 1995, and Colorado's 271st municipality.

The "City of Castle Pines North" was officially renamed the "City of Castle Pines" by popular vote on November 2, 2010.

The city originally incorporated as a statutory city and on May 14, 2019; residents voted in favor of home rule and now follows the Council-manager government system.

Geography
Castle Pines is located at 39.47174°N, -104.89483°W (39.471742, -104.894827) at an elevation of 6,368 feet (1,941 m). Located on Interstate 25 in central Colorado, Castle Pines is 20 mi south of downtown Denver and 43 mi north of Colorado Springs.

The city lies in the Colorado Piedmont on the western edge of the Great Plains. Happy Canyon Creek runs north-northeast through the western part of the city, and Newlin Gulch and its tributary, South Newlin Gulch, run north-northeast and north, respectively, through the eastern part of the city. All three streams are part of the Cherry Creek watershed.

At the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total area of 24.849 km2, all of it land.

Lying within the Front Range Urban Corridor, the city is part of the greater Denver metropolitan area, and it borders two communities to its south: Castle Pines Village and Castle Rock, the county seat.

Demographics
As of the 2010 census, there were 10,360 people, 3,493 households, and 2,928 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,149.8 PD/sqmi. There were 3,637 housing units at an average density of 403.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 92.6% White, 2.6% Asian, 1.1% African American, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.0% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanics and Latinos of any race were 5.5% of the population.

There were 3,493 households, out of which 50.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.3% were married couples living together, 2.7% had a male householder with no wife present, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.2% were non-families. 13.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97, and the average family size was 3.27.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 33.6% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 30.2% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.5 years. The gender makeup of the city was 49.7% male and 50.3% female.

Castle Pines is one of the most affluent cities in the United States. The median income for a household in the city was $137,019, and the median income for a family was $147,473. Males had a median income of $118,235 versus $71,399 for females. The per capita income for the city was $49,702. About 0.9% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 0.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
As of 2011, 69.5% of the population over the age of 16 was in the labor force. 0.2% was in the armed forces, and 69.4% was in the civilian labor force with 66.8% employed and 2.6% unemployed. The occupational composition of the employed civilian labor force was: 58.3% in management, business, science, and arts; 28.7% in sales and office occupations; 7.6% in service occupations; 4.6% in production, transportation, and material moving; 0.8% in natural resources, construction, and maintenance. The three industries employing the largest percentages of the working civilian labor force were: educational services, health care, and social assistance (17.1%); professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (16.7%); and finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing (14.5%).

The median home value in the city was $457,500, the median selected monthly owner cost was $2,654 for housing units with a mortgage and $731 for those without, and the median gross rent was $1,294.

Government
The City of Castle Pines is a home ruled city and follows the Mayor-Council government system. The City receives the majority of its revenue through sales and use tax collections. The City receives a portion of the revenue collected through property taxes, but these dollars are dedicated to fund law enforcement.

The residents of the City of Castle Pines North elected their first city officials on February 12, 2008.

Parks & Recreation
Castle Pines is home to 5 parks and 14 miles of trails that are 8-feet wide and paved to accommodate a variety of recreational activities. Walking, running and bicycling is permitted on trails, however horseback riding and the use of motorized vehicles is prohibited. The Castle Pines North Metropolitan District maintains most trails in Castle Pines.

Castle Pines parks and natural areas include:
 * Elk Ridge Park
 * Retreat Park
 * Coyote Ridge Park
 * Daniel's Gate Park
 * Daniels Park

Schools
Students residing in Castle Pines are within the Douglas County School District.

Primary Schools: Elementary Schools: Middle Schools:
 * Castle Pines Academy
 * American Academy
 * DCS Montessori
 * Buffalo Ridge Elementary
 * Timber Trail Elementary
 * DCS Montessori
 * American Academy
 * DCS Montessori
 * American Academy

Transportation
Castle Pines is located adjacent to Interstate 25. The city is served by Denver International Airport and nearby Centennial Airport.

title: Castle Pines, Colorado


text:
Cottonwood, Colorado

Cottonwood is a neighborhood in the Town of Parker, Colorado. A former census-designated place (CDP), the population was 931 at the 2000 census.

Geography
Cottonwood is located at 39.562°N, -104.802°W.

Climate
This climate type is usually found in the outskirts of true deserts in low-latitude, semiarid regions. It has a cooler, wetter winter resulting from the higher latitude and mid-latitude frontal cyclone activity. Annual precipitation totals are greater than in tropical and subtropical desert climates. Yearly variations in amount are not as extreme as in the true deserts but are nevertheless large. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "BSk". (Tropical and Subtropical Steppe Climate).

title: Cottonwood, Colorado


text:
Franktown, Colorado

Franktown is an unincorporated town, a post office, and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Franktown post office has the ZIP Code 80116. At the United States Census 2020, the population of the Franktown CDP was 409.

History
Franktown is named for James Frank Gardner, a prospector who built a cabin 2.9 mi north of the present location of Franktown in 1859 that became known as Frankstown in the Kansas Territory (also in the extralegal Jefferson Territory.) The Territory of Colorado was created on February 28, 1861, and the new territory created Douglas County on November 1, 1861, with Frankstown as the first county seat. On September 8, 1862, the former Russellville post office moved to Frankstown. (Russellville, 1.6 mi southeast of the present location of Franktown, had been settled by members of the William Greeneberry Russell Party in 1858.) In 1864, the county seat was moved south to California Ranch (at the present location of Franktown), a popular rest stop on the busy Jimmy Camp Trail (which followed Cherry Creek north to Denver.) The residents and post office of Frankstown soon followed to California Ranch which became known as Franktown. The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad reached the new town of Colorado Springs on October 27, 1871, and traffic on the Jimmy Camp Trail rapidly subsided. In 1874, Douglas County moved its county seat from California Ranch to the new town of Castle Rock on the railroad. Despite losing the county seat, Franktown remained a ranching and farming hub, held together by its church, school, grange, and handful of businesses. It never incorporated, and during the twentieth century, no more than a hundred people called it home. Even as suburban sprawl surrounded it at the turn of the millennium, Franktown resisted efforts to develop, maintaining a distinctly rural identity.

Grange
The Grange Franktown's strong agricultural roots made it a natural fit for the grange, a cooperative farmers' movement that swept rural America in the mid-1870s. Several dozen chapters formed in Colorado, including the Fonder Grange (founded near here in 1875) and its successor, Pikes Peak Grange No. 163 (established in Franktown in 1908). Both belonged to the statewide grange organization, which set up credit unions, insurance programs, and other services, and to the national grange association, which pursued long-range political goals. But it was the local chapters that really affected farmers' lives. The dances, holiday picnics, and town meetings they sponsored helped sparsely populated communities forge a sense of identity. Still active today, Pike's Peak Grange No. 163 in Franktown is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Castlewood Dam collapse
From the day it opened, Castlewood Dam was a catastrophe waiting to happen. Built in 1890, about five miles south of here on Cherry Creek, the barrier stored enough water to irrigate 30,000 acres of farmland-or would have, if it hadn't leaked so badly. The seeping began the year the dam was completed and was serious enough that a hundred-foot section crumbled in 1897. Although its builders vouched for the structure's integrity, the dam continued to leak sporadically for decades. Finally, on August 3, 1933, the inevitable happened: Castlewood collapsed, sending a billion-gallon torrent toward Denver. Only two people drowned, thanks to a switchboard operator's life-saving calls, but the flood devastated farms in this area and tore out six bridges in Denver, thirty miles downstream. The dam's remains can still be visited in nearby Castlewood Canyon State Park.

Timber industry
Frontier travelers often rejoiced upon reaching the timbered ridge just south of Franktown; it was the first woodland they encountered after hundreds of miles on the prairies. Early settlers in Colorado appreciated the forest, too-as a source of building material. Known as "the Pinery," it provided fast-growing Denver and other towns with most of their lumber during the 1860s. Several sawmills buzzed nonstop in and around Franktown, barely able to keep up with the demand. In the early 1870s, the Pinery supplied railroad ties to the Kansas Pacific and Denver & Rio Grande, both of which were laying tracks within twenty-five miles of here. Those routes eventually opened larger forests to exploitation and helped bring down this region's timber industry. By 1880, Franktown's sawmills had gone silent, but they had already left their mark: Pinery lumber built much of early Colorado.

Geography
Colorado State Highways 83 and 86 intersect in the center of Franktown. SH 83 leads north 9 mi to Parker and south 45 mi to Colorado Springs, while SH 86 leads east 9 mi to Elizabeth and west 7 mi to Castle Rock, the Douglas County seat.

The Franktown CDP has an area of 7.661 km2, including 0.036 km2 of water.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Franktown CDP for the United States Census 2000.

Education
The Douglas County School District serves Franktown.

title: Franktown, Colorado


text:
Heritage Hills, Colorado

Heritage Hills is a neighborhood in the City of Lone Tree, Colorado. A former census-designated place (CDP), the population was 658 at the 2000 census. The Lone Tree Post Office (ZIP Code 80124) serves the area.

Geography
Heritage Hills is located at coordinates 39.543°N, -104.879°W.

title: Heritage Hills, Colorado


text:
Highlands Ranch, Colorado

Highlands Ranch is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Highlands Ranch CDP was 105,631 at the 2020 census, making it the most populous unincorporated community in the State of Colorado. The Highlands Ranch Metropolitan District provides services to the community, which lies in ZIP Codes 80126, 80129, 80130, and 80163 (for post office boxes).

Beginnings
Like many parts of the Colorado Front Range, the first residents of the area were Native Americans. The area was populated by a number of nomadic tribes, including the Ute, Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. Because it was part of the Mississippi River Drainage Area, it was claimed by France by French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle and it was named as part of "Louisiana" in 1682. The Spanish gained Louisiana in 1763, and returned it to France in 1801. This area of what is now Northern Douglas County, was in the Louisiana Purchase when it was sold to the United States in 1803.

The Stephen H. Long's Expedition of 1820 entered the area at the beginning of July 1820. That was the first documented exploration of the area by European or United States explorers.

Much of the Denver Metro Area began to be settled as ranch land starting in 1859, but because of a lack of water in the area, it was not permanently settled until around 1870. The first legal settler of the area was Curtis H. Field, who purchased land just on the west side of Santa Fe Drive from the U.S. government on February 25, 1870.

The Highlands Ranch Mansion (or "Castle Isabel") was built over a period of several years, from 1891 to 1904. The first owner of the house was Samuel Allan Long, who purchased a 40-acre homestead in northern Douglas County in 1884 and later expanded it to a 2,000-acre farm. By 1891 he had built a modest farmhouse on the property and called it Rotherwood after a boyhood farm. The name "Rotherwood", a reference to a boyhood farm of Long's, was found etched above the original front door that led experts to believe so. Long was a prominent innovator of dry land farming techniques in Colorado during the late 19th century.

John W. Springer bought the ranch in 1898 and built the Highlands Ranch Mansion. He built it up to a 10,000 acre ranch and farm. It was called "Castle Isabel" for a time for his second wife Isabel Patterson Springer. He began selling off parts of the ranch in 1911. The mansion underwent a renovation from 2010 to 2012 that was funded by Shea Homes.

20th century
The Colorado Gold Rush brought people to Colorado in droves during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The city of Denver, located approximately 12 miles to the north, grew considerably during this time. However, the area remained a series of farms and ranches, and many residents would visit the town of Littleton, a few miles northward, when they needed to purchase clothing, supplies, or other items.

The Springer land was bought and sold several times throughout the 1920s and 1930s. In 1937 it was bought by Lawrence C. Phipps, Jr., who used it to raise cattle and hunt fox. After Phipps died in 1976, the land was bought by Marvin Davis, the owner of an oil company.

Becoming a suburb
In 1978, a large parcel of land in unincorporated Douglas County was purchased by The Mission Viejo Company. As the suburbs of Denver expanded, the company desired to build a new planned suburb, called Highlands Ranch, in northern Douglas County, akin to its first planned development of Mission Viejo, California. Initial plans were drawn up, many of which are still being realized. These plans laid out several major streets and called for several schools and recreation centers, as well as a town center and public library. Large parcels of land were sold to private housing developers, such as Richmond Homes. As these developments appeared, they often carried their own names, creating a series of segmented neighborhoods throughout Highlands Ranch. Plans for Highlands Ranch also included a snaking "green belt" which provided for undeveloped land for recreation. The plans also allowed for a large number of public parks and bike paths.

The first homes in Highlands Ranch were built in 1981, near South Broadway. Simultaneously, the state built a new freeway through the area, C-470, which opened in 1985. Many of the first residents of Highlands Ranch complained about the initial lack of commercial development. Residents had to drive many miles (usually into Littleton) for groceries, entertainment, or medical care. The first public school, Northridge Elementary, opened in 1982. The same year also saw the completion of the Northridge Recreation Center, an athletic club available to all Highlands Ranch homeowners. The first secondary school, Highlands Ranch Jr/Sr High School, opened in 1987. This institution became solely a high school, named Highlands Ranch High School, in 1991 with the building of nearby Cresthill Middle School. The first Highlands Ranch branch of Douglas County Libraries also opened in 1991, housed in a strip mall off Broadway and Springer Drive.

Recent history
Over the next 25 years, the population of Highlands Ranch increasingly expanded. Highlands Ranch celebrated its 10th anniversary in 1991 with a population of 17,000 residents. Over the next ten years, Highlands Ranch continued to develop on a large scale.

In 1997, The Mission Viejo Company was acquired by Shea Properties, which continued to expand the community. This included bringing a regional office of Lucent Technologies, and later in the same complex Avaya Communication, to the area. The year 2000 saw the opening of a much larger Highlands Ranch Library as well as the establishment of the Highlands Ranch Chamber of Commerce.

On December 31, 2017, a gunman opened fire at the Copper Canyon Apartment Homes, killing a police deputy, and wounded six others, including two civilians. The perpetrator was later killed by the SWAT tactical team in a shootout.

On May 7, 2019, two students opened fire at the STEM School Highlands Ranch, killing a student and injuring eight others. The school is located near Columbine High School, where a mass shooting occurred in April 1999. Both perpetrators were taken into custody in the aftermath of the shooting.

On June 22, 2023, a severe thunderstorm produced a high end EF-1 tornado around 3:30 pm. The tornado touched down near Colorado State Highway 470 and tracked 8.36 miles through Highlands Ranch and into Lone Tree. The tornado caused extensive tree, roof and fence damage, but no injuries were reported.

Geography
Located on Colorado State Highway 470 in central Colorado, Highlands Ranch is 13 mi south of downtown Denver and 13 mi north-northwest of Castle Rock, the county seat.

As a suburb of Denver, Highlands Ranch is part of both the greater Denver metropolitan area and the Front Range Urban Corridor. It borders several other Denver suburbs including Littleton and Centennial to the north and Acres Green and Lone Tree to the east. In addition, Highlands Ranch borders Chatfield State Park to the west. As Highlands Ranch is a CDP, its boundaries are defined by the U.S. Census Bureau and have no legal standing.

The Highlands Ranch CDP has an area of 62.920 km2, including 0.065 km2 of water.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Highlands Ranch CDP for the 1990 United States Census.

As of the 2010 census, there were 96,713 people, 34,054 households, and 26,535 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3,986.5 PD/sqmi. There were 35,167 housing units at an average density of 1,449.6 /mi2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.7% White, 5.6% Asian, 1.2% African American, 0.4% American Indian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 1.4% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanics and Latinos of any race were 7.2% of the population.

There were 34,054 households, out of which 48.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.5% were married couples living together, 3.1% had a male householder with no wife present, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84, and the average family size was 3.27.

The distribution of the population by age was 32.0% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 6.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.3 years. The gender makeup of the CDP was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $104,411, and the median income for a family was $113,944. Males had a median income of $84,067 versus $54,962 for females. The CDP's per capita income was $43,137. About 1.1% of families and 1.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 1.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
As of 2013, 74.9% of the population over the age of 16 was in the labor force. 0.1% was in the armed forces, and 74.8% was in the civilian labor force with 71.1% employed and 3.7% unemployed. The occupational composition of the employed civilian labor force was: 58.2% in management, business, science, and arts; 26.4% in sales and office occupations; 8.6% in service occupations; 3.7% in production, transportation, and material moving; 3.2% in natural resources, construction, and maintenance. The three industries employing the largest percentages of the working civilian labor force were: educational services, health care, and social assistance (20.5%); professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (16.1%); finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing (12.2%).

The cost of living in Highlands Ranch is above average; compared to a U.S. average of 100, the cost of living index for the community is 107.4. As of 2013, the median home value in the CDP was $335,900, the median selected monthly owner cost was $2,070 for housing units with a mortgage and $533 for those without, and the median gross rent was $1,504.

Notable companies headquartered in Highlands Ranch include UDR, Inc. and Peterson's. Visa Inc.'s Operations Center Central is based in Highlands Ranch.

Government
Highlands Ranch is an unincorporated community within Douglas County. Most municipal services, such as the construction and upkeep of arterial roads, parks and open space areas, are performed by the Highlands Ranch Metro District, a special district under state law, which is funded mostly by property taxes and state lottery funds. Highlands Ranch is policed by Douglas County Sheriffs Office, with South Metro Fire Rescue providing fire protection, and all public schools are part of the Douglas County School System.

In addition, all Highlands Ranch residents are asked to sign and follow a community covenant as dictated by the Highlands Ranch Community Association or "HRCA". This covenant places firm guidelines on such issues as housing decoration, fencing, and contribution to the area's library and recreation centers. The Highlands Ranch Community Association obtains its funding through common homeowner association fees and covenant violation fines and, for this reason, is not usually recognized as a government, but rather as a local non-profit organization.

Highlands Ranch lies within Colorado's 4th U.S. Congressional District. For the purposes of representation in the Colorado General Assembly, the CDP is located in the 30th district of the Colorado Senate and the 39th and 43rd districts of the Colorado House of Representatives.

ZIP codes 80126, 80129, 80130, and 80163 – assigned by default to the adjacent City of Littleton – serve Highlands Ranch.

Education
Highlands Ranch is served by the Douglas County School District.

High schools

 * Highlands Ranch High School
 * Mountain Vista High School
 * Rock Canyon High School
 * SkyView Academy
 * STEM School Highlands Ranch
 * ThunderRidge High School
 * Valor Christian High School (Private)

Middle schools

 * Ben Franklin Academy (Charter)
 * Cherry Hills Christian Middle School (Private)
 * Cresthill Middle School
 * Mountain Ridge Middle School
 * Platte River Academy (Charter)
 * Ranch View Middle School
 * STEM School Highlands Ranch
 * Skyview Academy
 * Rocky Heights Middle School

Elementary schools

 * Arma Dei Academy (Private)
 * Arrowwood Elementary
 * Acres Green Elementary
 * Bear Canyon Elementary
 * Ben Franklin Academy (Charter)
 * Buffalo Ridge Elementary School
 * Cherry Hills Christian School (Private)
 * Copper Mesa Elementary
 * Cougar Run Elementary
 * Coyote Creek Elementary
 * Eagle Ridge Elementary
 * Eldorado Elementary
 * Fox Creek Elementary
 * Heritage Elementary
 * Mile High Academy
 * Northridge Elementary
 * North Star Academy Charter School (Charter)
 * Platte River Academy (Charter)
 * Redstone Elementary
 * Saddle Ranch Elementary
 * Sand Creek Elementary
 * Summit View Elementary
 * STEM School Highlands Ranch
 * Stone Mountain Elementary
 * Timber Trail Elementary
 * Trailblazer Elementary
 * Wildcat Mountain Elementary
 * Sky Ridge Academy
 * Skyview Academy (Charter)

Notable people
Notable individuals who were born in or have lived in Highlands Ranch include actress Keri Russell, physicist William C. Davidon, NFL All Pro Running Back Christian McCaffrey, U.S. Olympic luger Courtney Zablocki, Czech hockey player Milan Hejduk, and Ethan Horvath, goalkeeper for the United States National Soccer Team and Cardiff City F.C., Gavin Sawchuk, Running Back for the University of Oklahoma, and Jacob Lissek, professional and international goalkeeper.

title: Highlands Ranch, Colorado


text:
Larkspur, Colorado

Larkspur is a home rule municipality in Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 206 at the 2020 census. Each year, on weekends in June, July and August, the Colorado Renaissance Festival is held in the hills just west of the town. The town is served by Larkspur Elementary School, a K-6 school in the Douglas County school district. The according to William Bright the town was named for the plains larkspur (Delphinium geyeri).

A post office called Larkspur has been in operation since 1871. The community was named for the abundance of larkspur near the original town site.

Larkspur is also the site of the historic headquarters building of Universal Co-Masonry According to the town's website, Larkspur's Vision Statement is "Larkspur, a small friendly town in Colorado. A town that works together by: Fostering a Government of Integrity that Responds to its People, Directing Future Growth within Larkspur´s Small Town Values, Providing Community Facilities and Activities for All Ages, and Preserving the Natural Environment that is Unique to the Larkspur Area."

Geography
Larkspur is located in southern Douglas County at 39.22709°N, -104.88423°W, in the valley of East Plum Creek. Interstate 25 passes along the eastern edge of the town, with access from Exits 172, 173, and 174. I-25 leads north 11 mi to Castle Rock, the Douglas County seat, and 39 mi to Denver, as well as south 32 mi to Colorado Springs.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.9 km2, all land.

Transportation
The City is Served by I-25. It was once served by SH-18 (now Upper Lake Gulch Road). In addition to the highways, the Colorado Joint Line (which is served by Union Pacific and BNSF) also runs through the town with a large Santa Fe bridge at the south end of town.

title: Larkspur, Colorado


text:
Lone Tree, Colorado

The City of Lone Tree is a home rule municipality located in northern Douglas County, Colorado, United States. Lone Tree is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city population was 14,253 at the 2020 United States Census.

Geography
Lone Tree is located on the northern border of Douglas County, directly adjacent to Arapahoe County. It is in the South Metro area of Denver, located 18 mi south of Denver's downtown.

The city annexed the territory of the now-defunct University of Colorado South Denver's campus, the former site of The Wildlife Experience, in 2017.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.8 km2, all of it land.

Highways
Interstate 25 bisects the city, with access from four exits:
 * Exit 192 (RidgeGate Parkway)
 * Exit 193 (Lincoln Avenue)
 * Exit 194 (Colorado State Highway 470/E-470)
 * Exit 195 (County Line Road)

Colorado State Highway 470 (commonly known as C-470) also bisects the city and, in addition to the I-25 interchange, also provides access to Lone Tree via Yosemite Street.

Public transportation
The RTD Bus & Rail's E Line and R Line make five stops in Lone Tree (County Line, Lincoln, Sky Ridge Medical Center, Lone Tree City Center, and Ridgegate Parkway–the latter being the southern terminus of all three lines).

The Lone Tree Link operates free bus service along Park Meadows Drive during the weekdays, serving Lincoln Station and four other stops in the city.

Amenities
Sky Ridge Medical Center and ER is situated in Lone Tree. Sky Ridge underwent extreme expansion efforts from 2013 to 2014. Sky Ridge contains a variety of hospital specialties and is located off of Yosemite near the Charles Schwab complex. For physical health and exercise, Lone Tree has the Lone Tree Recreation Center. The Recreation Center contains an indoor swimming pool, many gyms, and opportunities for classes.

Lone Tree is home to Park Meadows. With over 185 stores and restaurants, it is Colorado's largest shopping mall. Park Meadows is built in the mountain lodge architectural style. Although it is primarily an indoor mall, it also has an outdoor section called "The Vistas".

Lone Tree is home to a large golf course and hotel area. Lone Tree is made up of many running trails and biking trails for inhabitants and visitors alike. The bluffs at the southern part of the city offer these trails as well as hiking possibilities. Lone Tree is approximately 30 minutes from Red Rocks, which offers more hiking, biking, and running trails as well as a venue for outdoor concerts. Additionally, its suburban location in South Metro Denver makes Lone Tree not far from Castle Rock, which offers other activities.

Notable people

 * Gitanjali Rao, scientist and Time magazine’s first Kid of the Year in 2020.

title: Lone Tree, Colorado


text:
Louviers, Colorado

Louviers is an unincorporated town, a post office, and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Louviers post office has the ZIP Code 80131 (post office boxes). At the United States Census 2020, the population of the Louviers CDP was 293.

History
Louviers was laid out by the DuPont Company in 1906, and named after Louviers, the Delaware estate of the Du Pont family. The Louviers Post Office has been in operation since 1907.

Geography
The eastern border of Louviers is U.S. Route 85, which leads north 20 mi to the center of Denver and southeast 12 mi to Castle Rock, the Douglas County seat.

The Louviers CDP has an area of 4.093 km2, all land.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Louviers CDP for the United States Census 2000.

Education
The Douglas County School District serves Louviers.

title: Louviers, Colorado


text:
Meridian, Colorado

Meridian is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Meridian CDP was 4,786 at the United States Census 2020. The CDP lies in ZIP code 80112.

Geography
The Meridian CDP is located in northern Douglas County at 39.53’89”N 104.84’75”W at 5,964 feet above sea level, higher than Denver. Meridian roughly spans from the intersection of I-25 and Inverness Parkway south to the intersection of I-25 and Lincoln Avenue, east along Lincoln Avenue to North 1st Street, north along North 1st Street until E-470 where the boundary then meanders northeast until South Chambers Road, where it finally spans due west back to the intersection of I-25 and Inverness Parkway. The plot of developed land just south of Lincoln Avenue is included in the CDP as well. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.56 square miles, all of which is land. It is bordered to the north by Centennial, to the west and south by Lone Tree, and to the east by Parker; Denver is 18 miles to the north. The natural geography of Meridian can be characterized by slow, rolling hills covered in thick grass and brush.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Meridian CDP for the United States Census 2000.

Education
The Douglas County School District serves Meridian.

Economy
The Meridian International Business Center, from which the CDP derives its name, hosts the headquarters of three Fortune 500 Companies, including; Dish Network, Liberty Media, and Qurate Retail. Other notable employers within Meridian include; Toyota, American Family Insurance, Sierra Nevada, Jacobs, and Toastmasters.

title: Meridian, Colorado


text:
Parker, Colorado

Parker is a home rule municipality in Douglas County, Colorado, United States. As a self-declared "town" under the home rule statutes, Parker is the second most populous town in the county; Castle Rock is the most populous (the community of Highlands Ranch, with a population of over 100,000, is an unincorporated CDP). In recent years, Parker has become a commuter town at the southeasternmost corner of the Denver metropolitan area. The population was 58,512 at the 2020 census. Parker is now the 19th most populous municipality in the state of Colorado.

Native Americans
The first known people to live in the area were ancient and Plains Woodland peoples. Utes, Arapaho, and Cheyenne were in the area by the 1800s. They were all hunter-gatherers who established seasonal camps to acquire food. A nearby rock shelter, Franktown Cave, shows evidence of habitation beginning in the early Archaic period about 6400 BC and continuing through each of the intervening cultural periods to 1725 AD.

Pine Grove
Stage roads were established on historic Cherokee and Trapper's Trails through present-day Denver. In 1864, Alfred Butters established the Pine Grove Way Station in a small one-room building (south of the current Parker United Methodist Church) to sell provisions, handle mail and messages, and provide respite for travelers. The area was then within the Territory of Colorado (1861–1876). Butters became a state senator and representative. His house is on the National Register of Historic Places listings in downtown Denver. George Long and his wife purchased the building, moved it to its present location on Main Street, and expanded it to include ten rooms, a ball room and outbuildings. Built at the junction of stage routes, it was called Twenty Mile House for its distance to Denver. The stage station offered provisions, meals, and lodging, as well as protection for early settlers against attacks by Native Americans.

Initially, there were peaceful interactions with Native Americans. Chiefs Washington and Colorow led their tribes along Sulphur Gulch, passing and sometimes visiting cabins of early settlers, like John and Elizabeth Tallman. During one visit, Chief Washington offered up to 20 ponies in trade for their red-headed son. They occasionally heard the sounds of celebration and mourning from nearby encampments. Tension between settlers and Native Americans began to build in the 1860s due to broken treaties, aggression, and cultural misunderstanding. People became especially fearful following the Hungate massacre of 1864 in present-day Elbert County, which may have been started by Nathan Hungate shooting a Native American who stole his horse. It may have been a precipitating factor in the Sand Creek massacre led by General John Chivington later that year. John Tallman was one of the first to arrive at the scene of the Hungate Massacre and he served under Chivington during the Sand Creek massacre. The citizens of Parker became quite concerned and closed the school for a brief time after the massacres. In 1870, Jonathan Tallman (John's brother) was killed by Native Americans while out riding his mule.

In 1869, Twenty Mile House was owned by Nelson and Susan Doud. In 1870, the Douds purchased the Seventeen Mile House in what is now Centennial and sold the Twenty Mile House to James S. Parker, an American Civil War veteran from Illinois who came to Colorado in 1865. He added a blacksmith shop and mercantile store. In December 1870, or 1873, a post office was established for the Pine Grove settlement; James Parker was the postmaster. He built a schoolhouse and provided lodging and the first year's salary for the teacher. George Parker, James' brother, homesteaded and built a saloon on land east of Parker Road. George owned most of the land that ultimately became the town of Parker. He encouraged settlers and business development by "parceling out his spread" to newcomers.

Parker
The name of the settlement was changed to Parker in 1882. It was first called Parkers' for the two brothers and largest landowners, but the apostrophe was later dropped. That year, the Denver and New Orleans Railroad completed the initial railroad route that provided service between Denver, Parker, and Colorado Springs. To ensure that the railroad came through the center of town, rather than along Cherry Creek, James Parker sold his right-of-way for $1 and his brother George sold his right-of-way to bring the railroad into the center of town to Parker station.

James donated three acres for Parker Cemetery around 1884, at which time it held the graves of his two sons. It holds the graves of early settlers, the earliest known death was in 1870. Parker (died 1910) and his wife Mattie (died 1887) are also buried there. In the mid-1880s, gold was found at Newlin Gulch (site of the current Rueter–Hess Reservoir.) More businesses were added, including a dry goods store, two more general mercantile stores, another blacksmith shop, a livery stable, barber shop, creamery, stockyard, hotel, church, and a brickworks. Many of these were added by 1900. Victorian architectural style houses were built along Pikes Peak Drive in the 1910s. The Parker station of the Colorado and Southern Railway, which was renamed as it expanded its route, closed in 1931.

At least through the 1930s, there were dances the first Saturday of each month at Pikes Peak Grange, located north of Franktown. The dances were attended by teenagers from Parker and Elizabeth.

The Parker City Land Company began development of a "modern western town" in the 1960s, but they did not complete the housing projects due to financial short-falls. The developer skipped town in 1971. About 1980 or 1981, the development was completed by another builder. Dean Salibury advocated for Parker's incorporation to protect its landowners. The town was incorporated in 1981, and Salisbury was Parker's first mayor. Parker grew exponentially in the mid-1990s and mid-2000s, during the growth of Denver's southern suburbs. In 1981 there were 285 people in Parker and by 2014 48,000 people resided in the town.

Historic places
The Twenty Mile post office, originally the Pine Grove post office building, was restored by the Parker Area Historical Society. It is located on Mainstreet, just west of Parker Road. Ruth Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The town of Parker was given a grant by the History Colorado State Historical Fund a restoration project for the Parker Consolidated School at the Mainstreet Center. The Hood House, one of two houses that did not sustain any damage during the flood of Tallman Gulch in 1912, is located in Preservation Park. Some of the other historic sites include Tallman–Newlin Cabin and Parker Cemetery.

Geography
Parker is located in northeastern Douglas County. Its northernmost border follows the Arapahoe County line, and the city of Aurora touches the town's northeast border. The center of Parker is 23 mi southeast of downtown Denver. Castle Rock, the Douglas County seat, is 15 mi to the southwest. Unincorporated communities that border Parker are Dove Valley to the northwest, Stonegate to the west, and The Pinery to the south. Parker sits at an elevation of 5,900 feet above sea level.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 58.158 km2, of which 0.008 sqkm, or 0.02%, is water. Cherry Creek flows through Parker on its way north toward Denver.

Climate
This climate type is usually found in the outskirts of true deserts in low-latitude, semi-arid regions. It has cooler, wetter weather resulting from the higher latitude and mid-latitude frontal cyclone activity. Annual precipitation totals are greater than in tropical and subtropical desert climates. Yearly variations in amount are not as extreme as in the true deserts but are nevertheless large. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "BSk". (mid latitude Steppe Climate).

2022 estimate
As of the American Community Survey of 2022, there were 61,222 people, 20,083 households, and 6,525 families residing in the town. The population density was 2619.7 PD/sqmi. There were housing units at an average density of 897.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 84.4% White, 4.9% Asian, 0.4% Native American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.88% from other races, 1.01% Black, and 6.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.1% of the population.

There were 20,083 households, out of which 45.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.1% were married couples living together, 18.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.7% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of people living alone, and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.28.

In the town, the age of the population is trending older, with 28.3% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $120,075, and the median income for a family was $136,520. Males had a median income of $93,090 versus $63,008 for females. The per capita income for the town was $48,857. About 1.8% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 1.3% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 45297 people, _ households, and _ families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 23,558 people, 7,929 households, and 6,525 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,615.2 people per square mile (623.4/km²). There were 8,352 housing units at an average density of 572.6 per square mile (221.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 92.60% White, 1.71% Asian, 1.01% African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.88% from other races, and 2.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.80% of the population.

There were 7,929 households out of which 52.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.8% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.7% were non-families. 13.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 1.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the town the population was spread out with 34.0% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 43.4% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 2.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $74,116, and the median income for a family was $77,384. Males had a median income of $52,070 versus $35,700 for females. The per capita income for the town was $27,479. About 1.7% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Parker is served by Douglas County School District. Douglas County School District has among the highest level of students in Colorado. Students have scored, on average, 12 to 19 percent above the state average. The district was rated 9th in the state in 2009. The Pine Lane Elementary School had the largest student enrollment in Parker until Mammoth Heights Elementary opened in January 2007 and took the overload.

Two of the three principal high schools in the area, Ponderosa and Chaparral High School, have a cross-town rivalry and compete annually for The Pride of Parker trophy. Legend High School opened in 2008, as Douglas County's ninth high school.

Private schools in Parker include:
 * Ave Maria Catholic School (PK-8)
 * Southeast Christian School (PK-8)
 * Lutheran High School Parker (9–12)
 * Parker Montessori Educational Institute (PK-K)
 * Montessori Academy (PK-K)

For other Parker and Douglas County school information:
 * Pine Lane Primary
 * Frontier Valley Elementary School
 * Pine Lane Intermediate
 * Pine Grove Elementary School
 * Mammoth Heights Elementary School
 * Cherokee Trail Elementary
 * Iron Horse Elementary
 * Prairie Crossing Elementary
 * Legacy Point Elementary
 * Gold Rush Elementary
 * Pioneer Elementary School
 * Global Village Academy

Parker Secondary Schools:
 * Sierra Middle School
 * Sagewood Middle School
 * Cimarron Middle School
 * Legend High School
 * Ponderosa High School
 * Chaparral High School

Parker also has six public charter schools:
 * American Academy (annual lottery)
 * Challenge to Excellence Charter School (annual lottery)
 * North Star Academy (annual lottery)
 * Parker Core Knowledge Charter School (students selected through a wait list; application at birth strongly recommended in order to gain entry for kindergarten)
 * Leman Academy of Excellence (K-8)
 * Parker Performing Arts School (K-8)

College classes:
 * The University Center at Chaparral
 * Arapahoe Community College (Parker campus)
 * University of Colorado South Denver Campus (Located at the old Wildlife Experience on Lincoln Ave.)

Post-Secondary Education:
 * Rocky Vista University - College of Osteopathic Medicine

Recreation
The Town maintains 10 trails with over 27 miles of concrete paved, multi-use trails, over 6 miles of natural surface equestrian trails and a 1.8-mile natural surface, multi-use loop trail. The Cherry Creek Trail runs along Cherry Creek, north and south through Parker. Bicycling, hiking, nature walks, and cross-country skiing are all popular uses.

The Rueter–Hess Reservoir is located west of town and is not yet open for recreational use of the water as of 2021, although trails around the reservoir are open. Planned activities there include fishing, hiking, and non-motorized boating. No natural streams flow into the reservoir, instead, water rights owned by the Parker Water and Sanitation District provide water delivered via Cherry Creek and local canals. If filled to capacity, the surface size would be 1,140 acres.

The Parker Recreation Center is located alongside Lincoln Avenue and has several amenities such as gyms, swimming pools, fitness and cycling studios, sports and fitness classes, and more.

The Parker Field House offers 100000 sqft of space, including sports turf, batting cages, gymnasiums, inline rink with Sport Court flooring, and climbing.

The Parker Racquet Club opened in 2019 and offers six indoor courts to tennis and pickleball enthusiasts. Phase 2, opening in 2023, adds one of the first paddle courts in Colorado, and additional outdoor tennis courts and pickleball courts.

Attractions
The town currently maintains about 250 acres of developed parkland and more than 900 acres of open space.

Parker is home to the Parker Arts, Culture, & Events Center (PACE). It is a venue that hosts art exhibits, art classes, theater productions, and concerts. It is the official home of the Parker Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra established in 1994, that offers a full season of orchestra concerts annually. The Parker Symphony was formerly the South Suburban Community Orchestra.

Parker is also home to Colorado School of Dance, which partners with PACE each December to produce the "Nutcracker of Parker." The annual ballet has been a Parker tradition since 2003.

Local media
Parker currently has one local magazine and one local paper. Search Parker Magazine is the local magazine and the Parker Chronicle is the local paper. Parker also receives the county-wide channel, Douglas County 8, which broadcasts school sports events and assorted programs run by residents.

Notable people
Notable individuals who were born in or have lived in Parker include:
 * Josh Adams (born 1993), basketball point guard
 * George Brauchler - attorney, former district attorney for Colorado's 18th Judicial District
 * Hayden Dalton (born 1996), basketball player for Hapoel Holon of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
 * Kellen Damico (born 1989), tennis player
 * Scott Elrod (born 1975), actor
 * John Grant (born 1968), singer-songwriter
 * Milan Hejduk (born 1976), former ice hockey player for Colorado Avalanche. Won Stanley Cup in 2001.
 * Michael "Ffish" Hemschoot (born 1973), animator, film director
 * Hal Koerner (born 1976), distance runner
 * John C. Malone (born 1941), billionaire media magnate
 * Chris Martinez (born 1970), soccer defender
 * Bob McCord (1934–2016), ice hockey player
 * Dana Perino (born 1972), White House Press Secretary (2007-2009)
 * Scott Petersen (born 1970), golfer
 * Mark Scheffel (born 1959), Colorado state legislator
 * Cal Turner Jr. (born 1940), billionaire retail executive
 * Derrick White (born 1994), NBA player
 * Bobby Dalbec (born 1995), baseball player
 * Chad Muma, football player

title: Parker, Colorado


text:
Perry Park, Colorado

Perry Park is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Perry Park CDP was 1,932 at the United States Census 2020. The Perry Park Metropolitan District and the Perry Park Water & Sanitation District provide services. The Larkspur post office (Zip Code 80118) serves the area.

History
The Perry Park area was originally inhabited by the Ute, Kiowa, Arapaho and Cheyenne Native American tribes. It was not settled by American immigrants until the 1858 Pike's Peak Gold Rush near present-day Colorado Springs. Then ranchers such as Ben Quick and George Ratcliffe began settling in the area. In 1870 John D. Perry, president of the Kansas Pacific Railroad, visited Colorado and purchased the 4000 acre "Pleasant Park" that would eventually be named Perry Park. Mr. Perry's son, Charles, became a permanent resident of the ranch and raised short-horn cattle in the area until his death in 1876. Charles Perry died as a result of being kicked by a horse on the ranch. In 1888 John Perry, along with a number of other investors created the Red Stone Town, Land, & Mining Company which attempted to turn Pleasant Park into a resort destination. A dam was constructed, creating Lake Wauconda. A large hotel was built southwest of the lake.

One of the investors, Charles Roberts, built one of the only homes in the new development along the shores of Lake Wauconda (even though the entire area surrounding the lake was platted for home development). The Roberts home—the Manor House—is now the clubhouse for Perry Park Country Club.

Attempts to extend the railroad running through Larkspur directly into the park failed and the resort failed to prosper. Land deed problems contributed to the failure of the resort since many parcels of land could not be legally traced to the owners. The ranch changed hands many times in the early to mid-1900s. The hotel was eventually destroyed by fire.

Perry Park Ranch
In 1967, Lee Stubblefield (a retired Air Force officer) purchased the ranch for $2,000,000 and formed the Colorado Western Development Company. Mr. Stubblefield platted the current layout of Perry Park Ranch. The Perry Park Country Club was also developed during this time and opened in 1971. The platted area within the park continues to be developed by outside real estate investors and future residents. As platted lots become improved with roads and utilities (initiated and paid for by lot owners), homes are permitted to be built.

Geography
Perry Park is located in south-central Douglas County at the foot of the Rampart Range, the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains in this area. It is 15 mi southwest of Castle Rock, the Douglas County seat. Perry Park Ranch is known for the dramatic array of 'red rock' sandstone rock formations. They are part of the Fountain Formation, which is found along the eastern mountain face of the Front Range. The Pike National Forest and Rampart Range neighbor the community to the west.

The Perry Park CDP has an area of 22.240 km2, including 0.091 km2 of water.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Perry Park CDP for the United States Census 2000.

Education
The Douglas County School District serves Perry Park.

Area events
The Colorado Renaissance Festival, at Larkspur, is an annual summer event in the area.

title: Perry Park, Colorado


text:
Roxborough Park, Colorado

Roxborough Park is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Roxborough Park CDP was 9,416 at the United States Census 2020. The Roxborough Village Metropolitan District and the Roxborough Water and Sanitation District provide services. The Littleton post office (Zip Code 80125) serves the area.

Geography
Roxborough Park sits at the foot of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The Dakota Hogback, a prominent sandstone ridge, runs north–south through the community. The CDP is bordered to the west by Pike National Forest, and Roxborough State Park, known for its dramatic sandstone formations, is on the southern edge of the community. Downtown Denver is 25 mi to the northeast.

The Roxborough Park CDP has an area of 24.238 km2, including 0.327 km2 of water.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Roxborough Park CDP for the United States Census 2000.

Education
The Douglas County School District serves Roxborough Park.

Places of interest
Roxborough is situated next to Pike National Forest, two state parks and an abundance of recreational opportunities. It is also host to historical and archaeological sites. Roxborough State Park is to the south, with abundant wildlife, red rock formations and connections to multiple trail systems. Chatfield State Park is slightly farther to the north, with boating, fishing, camping, horseback riding, an off-leash dog park, remote-control flying field and an extensive trail system. Waterton Canyon (on the South Platte River) and the High Line Canal are owned by Denver Water and offer a beautiful road and trail system for hikers, runners, cyclists and equestrians.

In 1960, while digging a pond, Charles Lamb discovered Columbian mammoth remains on what is now Lamb Spring, the site of one of the largest collection of mammoth bones in the state.

Arrowhead Golf Club is one of the most scenic golf courses in the Greater Denver area, and a popular venue for weddings and events.

title: Roxborough Park, Colorado


text:
Sedalia, Colorado

Sedalia is an unincorporated town, a post office, and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Sedalia post office has the ZIP Code 80135. At the United States Census 2020, the population of the Sedalia CDP was 177.

History
The Sedalia post office has been in operation since 1872. The community was named after Sedalia, Missouri.

Geography
Sedalia is located in northern Douglas County along U.S. Route 85, which leads 8 mi southeast to Castle Rock, the county seat, and north 24 mi to downtown Denver.

The Sedalia CDP has an area of 3.531 km2, all land.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Sedalia CDP for the United States Census 2000.

Education
The Douglas County School District serves Sedalia.

Notable residents

 * Philip F. Roach (1881-1976), U.S. Coast Guard Commodore, Navy Cross recipient,

 * Scott E Crawford, U.S. Army, Chief Warrant Officer Four, Retired. Bronze Star Medal recipient. Numerous combat deployments including El Salvador 1984-86, Desert Storm 1991, Balkans 1998-2001. Numerous special operations assignments in support of 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment (SFOD) Sea Spray.

title: Sedalia, Colorado


text:
Stonegate, Colorado

Stonegate is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Stonegate CDP was 9,072 at the United States Census 2020. The Stonegate Village Metropolitan District provides services to the community, which lies in ZIP Code 80134.

Geography
Stonegate is located in northeastern Douglas County. It is bordered to the east by the town of Parker and to the west by unincorporated Grand View Estates.

The E-470 toll road around the eastern side of the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area forms the northern edge of Stonegate, with access from Exits 3 and 4. Downtown Denver is 21 mi to the northwest.

The Stonegate CDP has an area of 4.777 km2, including 0.032 km2 of water.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Stonegate CDP for the United States Census 2000.

Education
The Douglas County School District serves Stonegate.

title: Stonegate, Colorado


text:
The Pinery, Colorado

The Pinery is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of The Pinery CDP was 11,311 at the United States Census 2020. Douglas County governs the unincorporated community. The Parker post office (Zip Code 80134) serves the area.

Geography
The Pinery is bordered to the north by the town of Parker and to the southwest by the town of Castle Rock, the Douglas County seat. Colorado State Highway 83 runs through the center of the CDP, leading north 4 mi to the center of Parker and south 4 miles to Franktown. The center of Castle Rock is 11 mi to the south and west via Franktown.

The Pinery CDP has an area of 26.98 km2, including 0.096 km2 of water.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined The Pinery CDP for the 1990 United States Census.

Education
The Douglas County School District serves the Pinery.

title: The Pinery, Colorado


text:
Westcreek, Colorado

Westcreek is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Westcreek CDP was 120 at the United States Census 2020. The Sedalia post office (Zip Code 80135) serves the area.

Geography
Westcreek is located in southwestern Douglas County. It is in the valley of West Creek, a north-flowing tributary of Horse Creek and part of the South Platte River watershed.

Colorado State Highway 67 passes through the community, leading north down the West Creek/Horse Creek valley 9 mi to Deckers and southeast 15 mi to Woodland Park.

The Westcreek CDP has an area of 3.263 km2, including 0.108 km2 of water.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Westcreek CDP for the United States Census 2000.

Education
The Douglas County School District serves Westcreek.

title: Westcreek, Colorado


text:
Avon, Colorado

Avon is a home rule municipality located in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 6,072 at the 2020 United States Census. The town is a part of the Edwards, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area. Avon is the gateway to the Beaver Creek Resort which lies about two miles (3 km) south of the town. It was the previous site of Vail Resorts before the company moved its physical headquarters to Broomfield, Colorado, in 2006. The town is the home of Liberty Skis, an independent ski manufacturing company.

History
The town began as a railway station in 1889. Originally spelled "Avin", the name was later changed to "Avon". Avon was incorporated in August 1978.

Geography
Avon is located along Interstate 70, U.S. Highway 6, and the Eagle River.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 21.819 km2 including 0.194 km2 of water. The town rests at 7,430 feet (2265 m) elevation.

One popular destination within Avon is Nottingham Lake, which offers a beach area and paddleboard/pedalboat rentals in the summer. Next to the lake is the Harry A. Nottingham Park and Pavilion, which serves as the location for an annual art festival, a summer concert series, and other activities.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,561 people, 1,890 households, and 971 families residing in the town. The population density was 695.9 PD/sqmi. There were 2,557 housing units at an average density of 320.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 72.52% White, 0.79% African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 21.79% from other races, and 3.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39.96% of the population.

There were 1,890 households, out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.6% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.6% under the age of 18, 17.5% from 18 to 24, 47.1% from 25 to 44, 13.3% from 45 to 64, and 1.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 141.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 144.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $56,921, and the median income for a family was $52,339. Males had a median income of $33,053 versus $30,703 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,115. About 7.1% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.1% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Neighborhoods
Avon includes a number of neighborhoods including Wildridge, Eagle-Vail, Wildwood, Mountain Star.

Transportation
Town of Avon offers free public transportation comprising four bus routes. ECO Transit provides service within Eagle County, with routes linking Avon with Vail, Minturn, Leadville, Edwards, Eagle, Gypsum and Dotsero. Fares range from $3 to $5 per trip.

Avon does not have an active airport. Air passengers use either Eagle County Airport, located 27 mi west, or Denver International Airport, located 130 mi east. There had previously been a STOLport (Short Take-Off and Landing) facility in Avon, located between Chapel Place and Traer Creek Plaza. Its outline can be seen on aerial and satellite photography (a road overlays parts of the old runway).

Major highways

 * [[Image:I-70.svg|25px]] Interstate 70 runs east-west through the middle of Avon. to the east, it connects the town to Vail and Denver. To the west, it connects Avon to Gypsum and Grand Junction, ending at the intersection with Interstate 15, in Utah.
 * [[Image:US 6.svg|25px]] US 6 begins in Bishop, California, and ends in Provincetown, Massachusetts, serving 12 other states. As in Colorado it runs mostly parallel to Interstates 70 and 76, it can be used as an alternate route from Avon to Edwards, Eagle and Gypsum.

A local four-lane access road spans the Eagle River on a 150 ft bridge, constructed in 1992, that was christened "Bob" as the result of a local naming contest. Avon received national attention for the humorous name and made "Bob the Bridge" the theme for several local festivals.

Top employers
According to Avon's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Sister cities

 * 🇦🇹 Lech am Arlberg, Austria

title: Avon, Colorado


text:
Basalt, Colorado

Basalt is a home rule municipality located in Eagle and Pitkin counties, Colorado, United States. The town population was 3,984 at the 2020 United States Census with 2,917 residing in Eagle County and 1,067 residing in Pitkin County. Basalt is a part of the Edwards-Glenwood Springs, CO Combined Statistical Area.

History
Basalt was first named Aspen Junction after the railroad junction which led to present day Aspen, Colorado. Aspen Junction was a territory serving Aspen to Leadville Mining towns, with the Railroad Junction, also going West and South to Carbondale and Glenwood Springs. It was first served by the Colorado Midland Railroad, it was later bought out in 1901 by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad.

The town was named for the basaltic rock formation on Basalt Mountain, and began as a railroad town. The town was incorporated in 1901.

Geography
Basalt is located along State Highway 82, and at the confluence of the Fryingpan and Roaring Fork rivers.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 5.178 km2 including 0.020 km2 of water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,681 people, 1,052 households, and 637 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,394.8 PD/sqmi. There were 1,218 housing units at an average density of 633.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 91.53% White, 0.48% African American, 0.52% Native American, 1.27% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 4.77% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.75% of the population.

There were 1,052 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 42.3% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 3.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $67,200, and the median income for a family was $73,375. Males had a median income of $40,791 versus $30,532 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,746. About 4.9% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

Tourism
Basalt is well known for its Gold Medal trout fishing in the Frying Pan River. Ruedi Reservoir is also a popular regional destination for boating and other watersports. Basalt is a hub for mountain biking in the Roaring Fork valley. There are a dozen world class cross country trails as well as lift-accessed downhilling within 15 miles of Basalt, both up and down the valley.

Transportation

 * Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) provides bus transit in Basalt.
 * Basalt's public transit system (WE-CYCLE) supplied by PBSC.

Notable people

 * Wally Dallenbach Jr., NASCAR driver
 * Neil Diamond, musician
 * Joey Diaz, comedian
 * Hanna Faulhaber, freestyle skier and Olympian
 * Ann Korologos, former United States Secretary of Labor
 * Tom Korologos, former United States Ambassador to Belgium
 * Christy Smith, contestant on Survivor: The Amazon
 * Torin Yater-Wallace, Olympian freestyle skier

title: Basalt, Colorado