Similar to Park City in many ways, Aspen is a silver mining town gone bust, then boom again with the rise of winter sports. The town was formed in 1879 under the name of Ute City, The name was changed to Aspen in 1880. The city thrived under the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. The financial panic of the early 1890's and repeal of the Sherman act lead to to steady decline in the city's wealth. The 1930 census listed just 705 residents. In the 40's and 50's, Aspens reliance on silver switched to white gold (snow) and the area quickly gained recognition as one of the first American winter resorts catering to the rich and famous.
Located in the Roaring Fork Valley, Aspen is a beautiful town with a surprising number of historical buildings in tact. While living in Aspen is virtually impossible for most people, a brief stay - especially in the off season, can be quite reasonable. I was hear for only a brief leaf viewing (off season) weekend and I have yet to any of the Aspen resorts, though I believe that is a situation I will soon rectify.
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The Maroon Bells are the most photographed peaks in the state. Unfortunately, the weather never quite cooperated. Still beautiful though. Scenes from Aspen |
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Above Left: Hotel Jerome, built in 1889. Above Right: Pitkin County Courthouse, designed by William Quayle and built in 1891. Left: Catholic Rectory of St. Mary's church, built in 1888. Bottom Right: The Crystal Palace, a wholesale shop built in 1891. The Owl Cigar sign dates from the early 1900's |
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| A ride on the Aspen Gondola. The top of the mountain was completely socked in, but the ride up & back was beautiful. |  |
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Ashcroft Ghost Town. With 2,000 residents in 1883, the town was down to only 100 full time residents by 1885 as the shallow silver deposits played out. |
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Hearthstone house. A unique little hotel at a reasonable (for Aspen) price. Small but comfortable rooms and a very comfortable great room. Free wine and cheese every evening. |
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| Independence pass and La Plata Peak |  |
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Independence Ghost Town. A gold mining town that sprung up in 1879 at a 10,900 ft elevation. A hard life at this elevation and record snowfalls in 1899 ended this town's short life. |
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photos on this page are originals by & copyrighted by Daren Willden,
unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved. Permission required to use |
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