Metro District board chair Renee Anderson told the Douglas County News-Press that the future Historic Park "will bring history to life for future generations of visitors and will show our community's commitment to sharing the past and its traditions." The park itself is still ahead. On April 30, 2026, Shea Homes conveyed about 197 acres around the Highlands Ranch Mansion to the Highlands Ranch Metro District. That brought Historic Park to almost 250 acres. The community owns that pasture now. This winter, though, it stays leased to Clough Cattle & Fence Company, and the Mansion at 9950 E. Gateway Dr. is where residents see it.
So the Mansion's holiday season matters more this year. The Dec. 2 open hours and the Dec. 5 Holiday Celebration are the main public occasions to stand next to land the community owns but can't explore yet. Meanwhile, the groundwork for deciding what that land becomes continues through this winter.
What changed hands in April
The conveyance finished a promise that goes back to the founding of Highlands Ranch. The Metro District's Historic Park planning page tells it this way. In 1979, Douglas County commissioners approved Highlands Ranch as a planned community. Mission Viejo bought the property and committed to using the historic Mansion and the land around it for public benefit. In 2010, the Metro District took ownership of the Mansion itself from Shea Homes. Jeff Kappes, a former Mission Viejo and Shea Homes employee, told the News-Press that the April transfer completed the public-land dedications required by the 1979 development guide.
The new acreage wraps around the Mansion to the south and east. It is roughly bounded by E. Gateway Drive, E. Wildcat Reserve Parkway, Summit View Parkway and S. Ranch Road/Sterling Drive. The land is mostly pasture, plus a cluster of working ranch buildings. The Metro District's inventory lists:
- The historic windmill on the elevated hill south of the Mansion
- Two silos
- Four barns
- A bunkhouse
- Two cottages
- Sheds
- A blacksmith shop
- A laundry/power plant building
- Stables
Each of these has its own question to answer. The district says buildings will be renovated if they are structurally safe, have a defined purpose and are financially feasible to restore. The park and any renovated buildings will open to the public, but hours of operation haven't been set.
Why the pasture stays closed this winter
The land is still doing what it has done for years. Shea Homes leased the property to Clough Cattle & Fence Company "for several years," and the Metro District will keep leasing it to Clough Cattle until it is ready to make improvements. The district's timeline puts the public opening several steps out:
- April 2026: The Metro District takes ownership of the Historic Park property.
- May through November 2026: Community outreach and education about possible uses.
- Fall 2026: A communitywide survey that includes questions about Historic Park.
- 2027: A consultant develops a conceptual plan, staff draft a business plan, and residents are surveyed on the concept.
- To be determined: Construction or improvements, then the public opening.
Some limits are already set. Historic Park won't have sports fields. General Manager Stephanie Stanley described it to the News-Press as a passive place for learning about agricultural and ranching history. The district's long-range financial plan sets aside $10 million for initial design and part of the improvements. Staff say there are too many unknowns to estimate total construction and operating costs until the concept plan is done.
The days the Mansion opens its doors
Until that work is done, the Mansion grounds are the public part of Historic Park. The Mansion's general open hours and its guided and self-guided historic tours are free. Reservations are recommended, and schedules can shift around special and private events. Those private events take up a good part of the calendar between now and the end of the year. Here's how the rest of the season looks:
| Date | What's happening | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Mon., Nov. 16 | Landmark Lecture, "Lost Department Stores of Denver" | Doors 5:30 p.m., talk 6:30 p.m.; sold out, waitlist offered |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Closed to the public | Listed on the Mansion's November calendar |
| Wed., Dec. 2 | Open hours and historic tours | 3 to 6 p.m.; tours free; reservation required for groups of 10 or more |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Holiday Celebration at the Mansion | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; free; shuttle only |
| Dec. 6, 7, 12, 15, 17, 19 | Closed to the public | Listed on the Mansion's December calendar |
The Dec. 2 open hours fall on a Wednesday afternoon. They're the quieter of the two December visits.
The Holiday Celebration is the big one. The Metro District's listing includes horse-drawn hayrides, visits with Santa Claus, face painting, school choir performances, selections from the Nutcracker by local dancers, holiday story times, reindeer games on the lawn and booth vendors. Volunteer docents will be on hand for self-guided tours of the Mansion, and food trucks will sell food and drinks. Plan around the parking. Shuttle buses start running at 9:30 a.m. from the west lot at Mountain Vista High School, the student parking lot. There's no parking at the Mansion except for vehicles with handicapped placards or plates. Vendor spots are full.
The Metro District has also said it would bring Historic Park information and input opportunities to its community events this year. That makes the Mansion's busiest day of the year part of the planning season as well.
What's happening on the ranch while it's quiet
The pasture may look unchanged from the Mansion lawn this December, but the first technical study was lined up in the fall. At a September study session, Project Manager Taylor Irelan proposed hiring Walker Consultants to assess the incoming ranch buildings. The study will cover their condition and structural integrity, needed improvements, and likely costs depending on how each building might be used. The proposed contract was $39,500, with work expected to start in October and take several months. Staff said the assessment will show which buildings need only basic preservation and which would need bigger upgrades for public use. The board approved the item 7–0 on its Sept. 29 consent agenda.
The assessment arrives with a summer of resident feedback already on record. The Metro District's Fall 2026 Messenger reported that several hundred residents took part. There were two June neighborhood meetings for people near the property and three communitywide meetings in June, July and August at the Highlands Ranch Senior Center. Across that outreach, connection to nature and history and cultural preservation came out on top. Neighborhood compatibility, agricultural heritage and smart spending also drew strong interest. Favorite activities were trails and accessible paths, peaceful open space and animal interactions, with support for live ranch demonstrations and farm-to-table experiences too.
Board members' own summaries of those meetings appear in study-session minutes. After the June neighborhood meetings, Director Cali Wolf reported strong resident support for keeping livestock on the property. Director Steve Kinkaid said the main feeling he heard was apprehension about change, and that many residents appreciated being heard. After the July 22 town hall, Wolf reported that smart spending had moved up the list, while passive recreation and keeping the site's natural character stayed high. After the Aug. 17 meeting, Director Eric Rysner said residents needed reassurance that no final plans exist.
Those comments tie directly to the land outside the Mansion windows. Residents said they wanted livestock and agricultural heritage kept, and the pasture is leased to a cattle company today. Next year's conceptual plan will decide how much of that working character remains once the park opens.
One more stop before December
HRCA's free Holiday Gift Fair takes place on the other side of the community on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Eastridge Recreation Center, 9568 University Blvd. It features local artisans and handmade gifts, and HRCA's event description lists it from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For anyone following the Metro District's other heritage project, the plan for Fly'n B Park at 2910 Plaza Drive removes a structurally compromised house and adds historical interpretation, seating and 22 parking spaces. Construction is expected in 2027, the same year Historic Park's concept plan is due.
We follow projects like Historic Park as closely as we follow sales. If you'd like to talk through how the Walker Consultants study, the 2027 concept plan and current market conditions relate to your own home's value, Team DTC Davis can walk you through it. Request a complimentary home valuation.
