Page 12 - AreaNewsletters "Nov'18" issue

The History of the Castle Rock
Information provided by Douglas County History Research Center
Star H H OL I D A Y E E V E E N T T S
Castle Rock
is is named for for a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a large geological formation which looked to to to early travelers to to to the the area like a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a castle on on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a hill A special tradition has has been observed in in in in the the the the the the the town town every Christmas since 1936 It has has a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 45 foot tall electric star star which lights up the the the the the the night in in in in in in the the the the the the town town from the the the the the the week before Thanksgiving until the the the the the the end of the the the the the the National Western Stock Show in in in in January The star star has been a a a a a a a a a a a a symbol to to to people in in in in Castle Rock
for for over 80 years In 1936 the the United States was was experiencing the the Great Depression Millions of of of people were out out of of of work There was was also a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a drought in in those years which became known as as as as as the the the the the the the the “Dust Bowl” Farms throughout throughout the the the the the the the the the middle part of of of the the the the the the the the the country country saw their their crops dry up and their their soil blow away In Castle Rock
the the the the the the the the the Douglas County Fair the the the the the the the the the the community’s main annual festival had been held only sporadically since 1930 Like people throughout throughout the the the the the the the the the the country country the the the the the the the the the the citizens of of of Castle Rock
were were losing hope because of of of the the the the poor economy and the the the the town was badly in in in in in in in in need of of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a boost Someone heard that that people people in in in in in in in in in nearby Palmer Lake were were talking about building a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a star star Community leaders in in in in in in in in in Castle Castle Rock
Rock
jumped on on on on on the the the the idea thinking that that the the the the star star would would draw travelers’ attention They hoped people people would would stop in in in in in in in town on on on on on their travels along what was then busy Colorado Highway 85-87 George P P Stewart owned “The Rock” in in in 1936 and and he he he he he he he was was happy to donate the the the the the land on on on on on on which the the the the the star could alight Men from the the the the the the the the Works Progress Administration who may have been staying at at at at the the the the the the the the local Civilian Conservation Corps Camp designed designed the the the the the the the the star Both the the the the the the the the WPA and and the the the the the the the the CCC were were federal programs designed designed to to put Americans to to work during the the the the the the the the Depression Forty foot steel rods rods were were ordered from from Denver and and and paid for with with donations from from the the the the the the the the the the Town Council Volunteer remen carried the the the the the the the the the the rods rods up up Castle Rock
(no mean feat there was no no road or or or trail up up the the the the the the the the the 290 foot tall rock then) and and and welded them together with with gas do- nated nated nated by by two local local businesses The manager of the the the the the the the the the the local local electric electric company donated donated some poles and and helped string the the the the the the the the the the electricity with with wire donated donated by by the the the the the the Mountain States Telephone Company When they were nished the the the the the the forty foot tall star star with with nearly 100 light bulbs shone from from the the the the the top of Castle Rock
The The star star star was was lit lit around 5 pm and and and extinguished at at at midnight every every night night night throughout the the the the Christmas Christmas season and and and and burned all all night night night on on on Christmas Christmas and and and and New Year’s Eves The The star star star was was was was lit lit every every year from from 1936 until 1941 1941 In 1941 1941 the the the the the country was was was committing all all all its resources to to to win World War II and and and the the the the the star star star was was was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a luxury Castle Rock
could no no longer afford Rationing of of of electricity did not allow the the the the the the the the the star star star to to to be lit but the the the the the the the the the structure remained on on on on top of of of the the the the the the the the the rock a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a symbol of of of the the the the the the the the the sacri ces that everyone in in in in in in the the the the the the the the the country was was was was making On August 14 1945 1945 the the the the the the the the the war was was was was nally over That night night the the the the the the the the the star star star was was was was converted into into a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a “V” for for victory as as as as as as as as as people celebrated into into the the the the the the night night at at at at at the the the the the the re re station The The star star star was was was was was lit lit on on on on on December 7th of 1945 1945 and and and it it it it has been been lit lit every Christmas season since The The star star was was completely rebuilt in in in in in in in 1949 in in in in in in in an an an an effort to to to to to make it it it it safer and and and sturdier and and there have been been other repairs made to the the the the structure in in in the the the the succeeding years In In 1965 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a new group of of community leaders led by Mrs Anne McConnell started a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a ceremony for lighting the the the the the the the star star The programs included speakers from from the the the the Town of of of Castle Castle Rock
Rock
choirs from from the the the the Air Force Academy and and local churches and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a parade In In 1966 Mrs Helen Lowrie Marshall a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Denver poet wrote a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a poem poem called “The Star of of of Castle Castle Rock” to commemorate the the the the the the star star The The poem poem was read at at at most of of the the the the the the the the starlighting ceremonies and and published in in in in in the the the the the the the the local newspaper throughout the the the the the the the the 1960’s 1970’s 1970’s and and 1980’s During the the the the the the the the the early 1970’s 1970’s the the the the the the the the the energy crisis brie y y y y y y y threatened the the the the the the the the the star star star lighting lighting lighting but the the the the the the the the the tradition continued For about 11 years the the the the the the the the the the ceremony was was was was held held at at at the the the the the the the the the the Douglas County Courthouse In 1978 the the the the the the the the the the courthouse courthouse was was was was destroyed in in in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a re re re re re The starlighting was was was was then held held for for a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a number of of years on on on on on on on the the the the the the the the the “courthouse square” where a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a new new administration building for for the the the the the the the the the county was was was was constructed In 1999 the the the the the the the the the starlighting moved to the the the the the the the the the steps of of of the the the the the the the the the new new police station on on on on on on on Perry Street in in in in in in in Castle Rock
After Denver Denver Bronco Super Bowl wins the the the the the the the lightbulbs in in in in in the the the the the the the star star were replaced so that they showed blue and orange in in in in in celebration of of the the the the the the the Denver Denver Broncos victories After the the the the the the the terrorist attacks of of September 11 2001 the the the the the the the star was lit for for for several weeks The organizers of of the the the the the the the Starlighting Cere- mony chose a a a a a a a a a a a a patriotic theme for for for their celebration complete with ags on on on all the the the the the the the advertising for for for the the the the the the the event
November 2018 • Castle Rock
“AreaNewsletters” 12 Castle Rock
“AreaNewsletters • November 2018 Photo by NickLucey com