Douglas County History Research Center
About Us
Douglas County History Research Center.
Philip S. Miller Library
100 South Wilcox
Castle Rock, CO 80104-1911
(303) 688-7730
Fax: (303) 688-7715
e-mail: sboyd@dclibraries.org
The Douglas County History Research Center is a service of the Douglas County Libraries in Douglas County, Colorado.
The Collection is located in the Philip S. Miller Library, 100 South Wilcox St., Castle Rock, CO 80104
Hours of Operation
The Douglas County History Research Center is open 9am to 9pm on Monday, 9am to 5pm Tuesday thru Friday and by appointment at other times. Walk-ins are welcome, but please call ahead if you plan to visit, so we can prepare materials for you.
Materials to Take or Use at Home
- Start your Douglas County History Research
- The Douglas County Libraries's Online Catalog
- Databases from the Douglas County Libraries, including Census information from AncestryPlus [Available only in DCL facilities] and Heritage Quest
- The Douglas County History Research Center's website
- Databases and Other Links to Douglas County history-related resources
Materials to Use in the Libraries
The following materials are in the Reference Section or available for use in the Douglas County Libraries. Many are at the Philip S. Miller Library in Castle Rock, CO.
- Print materials relating to Douglas County and Colorado history, including the Colorado Heritage & Colorado Magazines. [Check the DCL Catalog]
- Records of all the major and most small cemeteries.
- County marriage records 1864 to 1924.
- Douglas County, Elbert County and Other Newspapers
- US Census Records , 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920. (microfilm)
- General Land Office 1864 - 65 Land Survey maps and field notes for Douglas County. (microfilm)
- Colorado State vital statistics, Bride & Groom Marriage Index and Divorce Index 1975-1996
- Douglas County Biography files.
- County and Municipal Master Plans.
- Clippings notebooks for events, towns and communities, natural disasters, ranches, churches, schools, ghost towns, cemeteries in and around the County.
- Maps: Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, Castle Rock 1890 to 1930; USGS 7.5 minute Topos of Douglas County, historic trails, various highway and commercial maps.
Materials Available and How to use in the DCHRC
Douglas County History Research Center materials is available by requesting it from the archivists. Because of the fragile or unique nature of the materials in the DCHRC, access may be limited to a few items at a time.
The collection is used in the presence of Douglas County History Research Center staff. Some items may be fragile and may only be duplicated with the permission of the Center's staff. Consult the archivist for handling instructions. Pencil should be used when doing research in the DCHRC, and patrons may be required to wear gloves provided by the DCHRC.
Many of our items are decribed in the Douglas County Libraries Catalog, or on the Collection guides page of our website. Materials in the DCHRC include:
- Aerial photographs of Douglas and Elbert Counties
- Photographs of Douglas County people, places and things
- Family histories, personal papers, cookbooks and menu collections.
- Local & Colorado history books
- Business cards and advertisements
- Church histories
- County Fair books (1892 to present)
- Ephemera relating to businesses, organizations and institutions in Douglas County
- Library District history notebooks, 1967 to 2007 (stored off site)
- Maps
- Newsletters of organizations, homeowners' associations, communities, & School District
- Newspapers
- Organizations' records
- Phone books (1955 to present)
- Post card collection
- Posters
- Yearbooks for all Douglas County high schools, some middle and elementary schools
- Scrapbooks
Image Reproductions
Many images within the DCHRC are available for reproduction. Some materials are copyrighted and may require additional research on the part of the user.
Price List [pdf]
Order Form [doc]
What We Collect and How to Donate
The Douglas County History Research Center of the Douglas County Libraries collects and preserves original and secondary materials about the pre-recorded history, social and natural history of Douglas County, the High Plains, the Divide area of the Front Range and the State of Colorado.
The DCHRC collects books, newspapers, manuscripts, business records, maps, minutes, photographs, and personal papers. We are building our oral history collection through interviews conducted via the Veteran's History Project and other local community groups.
Contact the Douglas County History Research Center at (303) 688-7730 if you have materials or information to add to the story of Douglas County History.
If you would like more information or would like to volunteer to help, call the DCHRC at (303) 688-7730.