Highlands Ranch traces its roots to frontier settlement in the 1860s, when homesteads and ranches—including the property that became Highlands Ranch—were established in Douglas County, with figures like Rufus "Potato King" Clark contributing land and philanthropy to local parks.
The modern community's defining moment came in 1978, when the Mission Viejo Company of California purchased the 22,000‑acre ranch and began building one of Colorado's largest and most ambitious master‑planned communities, officially welcoming residents in 1982.
Over the next two decades, Highlands Ranch grew rapidly, adding recreation centers, schools, trails and thousands of homes, celebrating its 25th anniversary with a population of about 86,000 and continuing to evolve as a nationally recognized example of planned suburban development.
Carmody Lake Plumbing has been serving the Denver metro area since 1990, growing alongside communities like Highlands Ranch. We've watched the community mature and understand the specific plumbing needs that come with homes ranging from original 1980s construction to today's newest Backcountry estates.
Frontier settlement and ranching begins
Mission Viejo Company purchases 22,000 acres
First residents move into Highlands Ranch
Carmody Lake Plumbing founded
102,527 residents, 35+ years of service