Biographies
History of Douglas County
Douglas County
The pioneer spirit, accompanied by the beauty of the mountains, foothills and plains, is gloriously evident in Douglas County. In 1861, the Colorado Territorial Session Laws created Douglas County, named after Stephen A. Douglas. Known as the “Little Giant,” Stephen A. Douglas battled his own Democratic Party, as well as the Republican Abraham Lincoln, over issues of slavery, the Kansas-Nebraska Act and popular sovereignty. Douglas County originally stretched from the Rockies to the State of Kansas border.
Today, Douglas County is virtually the geographic center of Colorado. The County is approximately 844 square miles, 71 square miles of which are permanently protected land through the Douglas County Open Space Program. Recreational areas include more than 146,000 acres of Pike National Forest, Roxborough State Park, Castlewood Canyon State Park and the Chatfield State Recreation Area.
There are five incorporated municipalities within the boundaries of Douglas County: Castle Rock, Castle Pines North, Larkspur, Lone Tree and Parker. Each has its own mayor and provides services in cooperation with Douglas County.
