Timeline of the Star's History
"A
star, a star
dancing in the night
with a tail as big as a kite,
with a tail as big as a kite"
- Do You Hear What I Hear
| December 1936 | Castle Rock leaders construct a 40 foot star atop Castle Rock using donated materials and labor. |
| December 1941 | Bombing of Pearl Harbor draws United States into World War II. Castle Rock's star is not lit because of war effort. |
| 1942-1944 | The star remains unlit throughout the war years as people try to conserve everything for the war effort. |
| August 1945 |
End of World War II. Amid the celebrations on the night of the peace treaty (August 14th) the star is converted into a giant "V" which glows on top of Castle Rock through the night. |
| December 1945 | The star is relit for the first time in 4 years. |
| 1949 | Volunteers from the fire Department replace the star with a safer structure, the star is now 45 feet tall. |
| 1965 | Starlighting ceremony organized for the first time by Anne McConnell, owner of the Golden Dobbin Restaurant and other members of the Chamber of Commerce. |
| 1966 | Helen Lowrie Marshall writes "The Star of Castle Rock" in commemoration of the star. It is read at the starlighting ceremony for many years. |
| 1970's | The energy crisis threatens the star. People from the community overwhelmingly decide to keep the star lit, but only during the evening hours (not all night) |
| 1978 | Douglas County Courthouse burns down, changing the landscape of the Town of Castle Rock and the starlighting ceremony, which had been held in front of the courthouse for 11 years. |
| 1996 | The star is rewired to make it more safe. |
| 1998 | Live reindeer appear at the starlighting. |
| 1999 | Starlighting is held at the new police station on Perry Street. |
| 2000 | Starlighting ceremony held on November 18th. |
| 2001 | Star is lit from September 11-October 11 after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, which cost 6000 lives. Starlighting ceremony held on November 17 |
| 2002 | 66th Annual Starlighting ceremony held on November 23rd |
By Shaun
Boyd
Douglas County History Research Center
Douglas County Libraries