Metro Denver, Castle Rock and Highlands Ranch, Colorada Information, MLS Real Estate Listings, and Homes For Sale 

• Highlands Ranch, Colorado location: 12 miles south of Denver.

• Population of Highlands Ranch is approximately 73,960 (2002). The approximate number of families is 24,544 (2000).

• What is now Highlands Ranch was settled by homesteaders. Around 1900, the claim was made for one large holding of 23,000 acres known as Highlands Ranch. It was owned by Lawrence Phipps, Jr. from 1937 until 1976. It was then purchased by the Mission Viejo Company and began to be developed.

• Highlands Ranch Founded in 1981. The first residents moved in September of 1981. Highlands Ranch was purchased by the J.F. Shea Company in august of 1997.

• In 1999, a small group of business people started exchanging ideas, concerns, and issues. That group formed into a steering committee who elected a board and the Chamber of Commerce of Highlands Ranch officially kicked off April 19, 2000.

• Douglas County provides police protection, street maintenance, public street snow removal, traffic signal maintenance, and regional park maintenance to Highlands Ranch.

• Highlands Ranch continues to be one of the strongest master planned communities in the United States with sustained, managed growth.

• Highlands Ranch Indoor recreation, programming at three community recreation centers, indoor and outdoor pool facilities and residential architectural review are managed by a homeowner's association, the Highlands Ranch Community Association (HRCA). There are also sub homeowner associations located in neighborhoods across the community.

• Trails Highlands Ranch has an impressive trail system that spans 40 miles. Offering distance and variety from narrow (18-inch) single tracks that wind through the prairie to wide (8-10 foot) concrete paths that accommodate walkers, runners, cyclists, and inline skaters.

• Highlands Ranch Schools Part of the highly acclaimed Douglas County School District. Highlands Ranch is served by four private schools, 15 public elementary schools, three middle schools, and three high schools. "Year-round" schooling gives Highlands Ranch students an educational edge.

• Highlands Ranch Business Directory

• Highlands Ranch Golf Courses

Denver

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• Walking in Denver's compact downtown is easy. Contrary to popular belief, Denver is not in the mountains; it is near them. The "Foothills. Denver is located on high, rolling plains. Unlike some Denver has a central downtown area. For those who like to jog or simply stroll, the Mile High Trail is a series of six walking tours throughout the downtown area. Within easy walking distance are the city's performing-arts complex and a wide variety of shops, department stores, restaurants, nightspots, and some of the city's top attractions including the U.S. Mint, Denver Art Museum and Colorado History Museum. A mile-long pedestrian mall cuts through the heart of downtown Denver and is surrounded by a series of parks and plazas that soften the city's many skyscrapers and provide viewpoints from which to see and appreciate the modern architecture. Lower Downtown (called "LoDo" by locals) is on the northern edge of downtown Denver and offers one of the nation's greatest concentrations of Victorian buildings and warehouses, many of which have been refurbished to house restaurants, art galleries, offices and shops. This is the center of the city's brew pubs, with six large brew pubs and micro breweries, each brewing six to eight exclusive beers. When one combines the brew pubs with the Coors Brewery, the largest single brewery in the world, it is easy to see why Colorado claims that it brews more beer than any other state.

• Denver has the nation's second largest performing arts center. The Denver Performing Arts Complex has eight theaters seating over 9,000 people. Denver citizens contribute more public funding for the arts per capita than any other U.S. city.

• Lower Downtown "LoDo" LoDo District Inc. is a unique historic town in Denver that has shops, restaurants, and entertainment. LoDo District Inc. is located in Downtown Denver Colorado.

• The 16th Street Mall is a mile-long pedestrian promenade through the heart of downtown Denver, lined with shops, department stores and outdoor cafes. chichi boutiques and salons Free buses leave either end as often as every 90 seconds, making this the best spot for "people watching" in the city. In summer, the Mall is decorated with 25,000 flowers including 8,400 impatiens, 6,528 petunias, 648 snapdragons and 370 geraniums.

• Cherry Creek North is an eclectic mix of galleries, restaurants, shops, clothing designers and cafes, all on pleasant tree-lined streets directly adjacent to the Cherry Creek Shopping Center.

The Lower Downtown Historic District The 23 plus square block area of the original Denver is now called Lower Downtown Denver or "LoDo" The LoDo District, Inc. was formed by an act of City Council in March 1988. The historic status granted protection to the community's historic fiber, and to 127 contributing historic structures that remained. In LoDo" you'll find cosmopolitan living, lofts, flats, Denver's nightlife and some of Denver's best restaurants, clubs & sports bars, hotels, bed & breakfasts, shoping, horse drawn carriages for romantic tours, watch Colorado Rockies baseball. At "Coors Field", "LoDo" is a most see.

• Pepsi Center Situated at the edge of downtown Denver, Pepsi Center anchors Denver's thriving LoDo entertainment district and is the region's newest sports and entertainment venue.
  
  Larimer Square is a restored section of Denver's oldest street where the beautiful Victorian buildings have been restored to house a collection of art galleries, clothing stores, restaurants, cafes and nightclubs.

• The Shops at Tabor Center is a modern complex on the 16th Street Mall with 80 shops and restaurants in a three-story, glass-covered, greenhouse-like building that offers festive views of downtown and the mountains.

• Park Meadows is one of Denver's newest additions to the shopping scene.Featuring a Nordstrom, Dillard's, Foleys and Joslins the shopping center was created to resemble a ski lodge, complete with a huge center court fireplace.

• Denver Pavilions opened in November 1998 and features a Wolfgang Puck Café, Maggiano's Little Italy, Virgin Records Megastore and Barnes & Noble Superstore.

• Denver Photo Gallery

• Denver Government

• Denver Police Department

• Denver Fire Department

• Denver Public Schools

Points of Interest: Denver Today

• Denver Botanic Gardens Explore 23 acres of fragrance and foliage any time of the year at our facility at 1005 York Street.

• Denver Zoo

• Butterfly Pavilion

• Colorado Ocean Journey Denver's Aquarium, Ocean Journey, is a $98 million, world-class aquarium. Since it opened its doors in June 1999, this Denver aquarium has offered an amazing look at water and the creatures that live in it. More than 15,000 fish, plants and mammals live in the building in tanks holding more than a million gallons of water.

• The Colorado State Capitol The Colorado State Capitol Building Site - presented by the Colorado State Archives. Colorado's State Capitol Building ...

• Six Flags Elitch Gardens Theme Park The Six Flags Parks AstroWorld: A Six Flags Theme Park Six Flags AstroWorld is a world-class family entertainment complex.

• The Molly Brown House Birthplace of the Titanic's "unsinkable" passenger, this museum offers a history of the building and a biography of its famous floating occupant. ... Molly Brown & The Titanic. History of the Molly Brown House.

• The U.S. Mint

• Denver Performing Arts The Denver Performing Arts Complex is the second largest Performing Arts complex in the United States, with a total of nine theatres/performing spaces and over 10,000 seats. The Denver Performing Arts Complex is located in the heart of downtown Denver Colorado.

• Pepsi Center one of the nation's finest sports and entertainment facilities, represents the best of Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West.

• Paramont Theatre Denver's premier performing arts and entertainment center since 1929, features all genres of music, comedy, dance, films and speakers.

• Colorado Ballet Now in it's 42nd season, Colorado Ballet presents five contemporary and classical ballets each season.The 2002-2003 season includes Dracula, The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Coppelia, and Bodies of Work.

• Central City Opera Association Three summer productions in out intimate Victorian opera house west of Denver. It is one of the very few opera companies in America to own its own opera house.
  

• Four Mile House & Historic Park The park is dedicated to presenting programs that celebrate the diversity of the men, women, and children who lived and worked in the west. Four Mile House & Historic Park located in Denver Colorado.

• Colorado Symphony Orchestra Under the direction of Music Director Marin Alsop, the Colorado Symphony performs over 100 concerts, showcasing the music of time honored masters and new works by today's talented composers and artists. Enjoy Today's Most Vibrant Musicians with the Colorado Symphony Series!

• Colorado Sports Hall Of Fame Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum located at Invesco Field at Mile High features great moments in Colorado Sports history. Colorado has such a rich sports history, which includes many championship athletes, teams and coaches from a local and national level.
  
  Museums

• Denver Children's Museum

• Denver Museum Of Natural Science The Museum is located in City Park, approximately three miles east of downtown Denver, at the intersection of Montview and Colorado Boulevards (a few blocks north of the intersection of Colorado Boulevard and Colfax Avenue).

• The Black American West Museum The center, located in the Dr. Justina Ford House, boasts materials and exhibits explaining the heritage of blacks in the West.

• The Colorado History Museum Imagine covered wagons, a rendezvous of fur traders, Indian buffalo hunts, mining the Rocky Mountains and life in early Denver. Colorado's own museum features collections of photographs, artifacts and documents. Dioramas and changing exhibitions bring history to life.

• Denver Art Museum The Denver Art Museum is world famous for its American Indian art collection. Visitors can view outstanding architecture, graphics and design galleries, or explore stunning Asian, Modern & Contemporary art, pre-Columbian, and Spanish Colonial galleries.

• Forney Museum of Transportation

• Denver Firefighters Museum The Denver Firefighters Museum is dedicated to the preservation of Station No. 1, and the collection and display of firefighting equipment and memorabilia. Denver Firefighters Museum can be found in Denver Colorado.

Denver sports: with all four Major League sports (NHL Colorado Avalanche, NBA Denver Nuggets, NFL Denver Broncos, Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies), as well as two professional soccer teams and home of:

• Colorado Rockies

• Denver Nuggets

• Colorado Avalanche

Castle Rock

• Castle Rock is located midway between Denver on the north and Colorado Springs to the south.

• Castle Rock, incorporated in 1881, is nestled in the heart of Crowfoot Valley, surrounded by rocky buttes and featuring stunning views of the Rocky Mountains.

• Settled in the 1870s, the Town soon became a center for rhyolite mining and an important station for north-south railroad traffic.

• Castle Rock was named for the prominent rock formation that overlooks the Town.

• Located between Denver & Colorado Springs on I-25.

• Castle Rock features several planned developments tied together by its historic downtown. Zip Code: 80104, Sales Tax: 8.30%, Population: 40,636, Median Age:34.3, Median Income: $63,535, Unemployment Rate: 4%, Home Appreciation: 7.76%, Homes owned: 74.19%, Home Median Value: $279,031.

• Castle Rock: 33 square-mile area, plus another 26,000 in the immediate surrounding area.

• Castle Rock is the county seat of Douglas County, one of the nation's fastest growing counties (191% population increase between 1990 & 2000). Castle Rock has grown about 9% per year over the past decade.

• The Castle Rock Fire and Rescue Department (CRFD) protects the life and property of all residents in a 75-square-mile area including the Town of Castle Rock and the Castle Rock Fire Protection District in Douglas County.

• The Castle Rock Police Department takes great pride in making the Town one of the safest communities along Colorado's Front Range. Emphasizing education and crime prevention, we've seen the number of major crimes in Castle Rock decline since 2000, despite a 20% increase in population and slowing economy over the same period. In a 2001 citizen survey, 84% of respondents rated Castle Rock police services as "excellent" or "good," and the Town has made it a priority to maintain its commitment to public safety.

• Climate: Clear days and blue skies are the norm with an average of 255 days of sunshine a year. The average high temperature is 85 degrees in the summer months and 44 degrees in the winter. Annual snowfall is 62.2 inches and the average humidity is 40 percent.

• Castle Rock Elevation - 6,202 feet above sea level
  
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• 400 acres of parks, the Red Hawk Ridge municipal golf course, and the soon-to-be opened Hidden Mesa open space. Residents and visitors can also enjoy a full range of shopping experiences from downtown boutiques to department stores and the Outlets at Castle Rock, or enjoy dining on anything from fast food to gourmet

• The small town charm, beautiful views and unique culture attract more than 2,500 new residents annually.

• Castle Rock Parks and Recreation Department offers a multitude of facilities and amenities, including a 64,000 square foot recreation center, more than 400 acres of parks and open space at 13 community and neighborhood parks and open space projects, plus a national award-winning municipal golf course. A recent survey showed more than 80% of those who participated in recreational programs over the past year rated them as "excellent."

• Douglas County School District is one of the fastest growing in the nation, with a growth rate of between 6 and 7 percent every year. Enrollment for the 2002-2003 school year exceeds 38,000 students, more than doubling the number of students enrolled in the district in 1992. Douglas County is the fourth largest school district in the Denver Metro area. Castle Rock Student/Teacher Ratio: 15.6/1, Castle Rock Expenditure per Student: $4,962.

• Castle Rock Golf Courses: Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course - Designed by award-winning golf course architect, Jim Engh, the 6,942 yard layout combines playability with spectacular Front Range mountain scenery.

• Castle Rock is located in Douglas County, one of the fastest growing counties in America according to Census 2000, Douglas County's 191% population increase between 1990 and 2000 made Douglas County the nation's fastest growing county for the decade (based on percentage change).

• Douglas County is virtually in the geographic center of Colorado.

• Douglas County contains four incorporated municipalities: Castle Rock, Larkspur, Lone Tree, and Parker.