Castle Rock, CO news and local guide

White settlers were drawn to the area by rumors of gold and by land opened under the Homestead Act of 1862, but it was rhyolite stone, not gold, that led to the settlement of Castle Rock. One of the first homesteaders was Jeremiah Gould, who owned about 160 acres south of the rock formation for which the town is named, then the site of just a few buildings for prospectors, workers and cowboys. When the eastern border of Douglas County was redrawn in 1874, Castle Rock was chosen as county seat for its central location, and Gould donated 120 acres for the new town. Six streets, Elbert, Jerry, Wilcox, Perry, Castle and Front, were laid out around a courthouse square, and about 77 lots were auctioned for a total of $3,400.

More about Castle Rock

A depot brought the Denver and Rio Grande Railway, and in the late 1800s and early 1900s the town had an active rhyolite quarrying industry that drew many immigrant workers. In 1936 the town received a gift of land that included the butte, and Works Progress Administration workers built a star on top that was lit every year until World War II, when it was left dark as a symbol of sacrifice. On August 14, 1945, after V-J Day, it was turned into a V for victory, and it has been lit for the holidays every year since December 7, 1945. Sources Wikipedia: Castle Rock, Colorado