Place to Visit is Aspen

During the silver boom of the early 1880s, the town of Ashcroft, located 11 miles south of Aspen on Castle Creek Road, was a significant hub with a larger population and higher silver production than Aspen. However, as Aspen's prosperity grew, Ashcroft's luck took a turn for the worse due to depleting shallow ore deposits nearby. By the late 1880s, Ashcroft had already fallen into decline. The town's last resident passed away in the late 1930s and since then it has become a ghost town. Tours are available in the summer months and residents acting as "ghosts" are happy to answer any questions.

The barons led a high life, but most of Aspen's early population worked in mining or related businesses. When the silver boom busted in 1893, many people left in search of better job opportunities, but some hardy residents stayed put, and ranching became the lifeblood of the area in what has come to be known as "The Quiet Years." At the Holden/Marolt Mining and Ranching Museum, you'll learn about Aspen's mining and ranching days.

Experience the wonders of Wheeler Opera House, one of Jerome Wheeler's notable contributions. Initially included in the "Silver Circuit" of mining era establishments, this landmark opened its doors in 1889 and hosted renowned acts from all over the world in Colorado's mountainous regions. After a fire destroyed it in the early 1900s, the theater received renovations in the late 1940s and again in the 1980s, solidifying its status as Aspen's top performance venue.

Hotel Jerome was built in 1889 by early Aspen supporter and visionary Jerome B. Wheeler and has served as a local gathering place since then. As well as being an elegant hotel for most of its existence, the Jerome is also home to a number of restaurants, including the J-Bar, which offers the famous "Aspen Crud", a milkshake infused with a variety of liquors that was the favorite drink of Tenth Mountain Division soldiers training here during World War II.