 Aspen's history is one that is based on wealth. For thousands of years it has been the abundance of the land that has drawn people to the Roaring Fork Valley while more recently Aspen has attracted a collection of mavericks, entrepreneurs, and adventurists who have found fortune in the "Shining Mountains" of Aspen's original inhabitants. Once part of the vast hunting grounds of the Ute Indians who lived off of the fertility of the land, Aspen has undergone vast transformations over the past 130 years.
Like so many of the Western resort destinations, Aspen came into existence when pioneers discovered vast reserves of natural resources in this untapped wilderness. It did not take long for the white man to purge the Rocky Mountains of the native Ute's, by 1879 prospectors from Gothic and Leadville (Colorado's second largest city at the time) ventured over the Continental Divide to discover the richest silver lodes the world had ever seen. Originally named Ute City, by spring the Aspen-filled mountains bloomed and it became obvious that the name of this magnificent land should be "Aspen".
The convergence of so many natural and man-made resources including fertile lands for ranching, mountains filled with silver, and two competing railroads attracted wealthy Victorian capitalists like Jerome B. Wheeler (then President of the behemoth Macy's Department store) and David Hyman (a successful Cincinnati lawyer and businessman) to invest in this boomtown. It was not long before Aspen became an urban, industrialized community with a thriving population of 12,000 and a modern town filled with commerce, culture, a strong infrastructure, and unique architecture.
Over the past 130 years fortunes have been made and lost in Aspen and the town has manifested itself with the times. In the early 1890's the U.S. government repealed the Sherman Silver Act which returned the country to an economy based on a gold standard. This effectively ended Aspen's run as the richest silver mining operation in the world but Aspen was able to survive as a rural county seat with a thriving ranching community.
By 1935 Aspen had dwindled down to a population of just 700 when the area attracted a group of international investors who were seeking out the ideal location for a world-class ski resort. Plans were moving forward, the near-by ghost town of Ashcroft was chosen as the base area, and the famous Swiss avalanche expert Adre Roch until the outbreak of World War II caused the cancellation of the resort's development. With the development of the ski resort in question, the local Aspen Ski Club cut a race course on Aspen Mountain and rigged and old mine hoist and gas motor to form a "Boat Tow" up the mountain. The Army's 10th Mountain Division, which trained during the war in nearby Camp Hale, spent much of their off-time skiing on Aspen Mountain.
Following the war, one of the 10th Mountain Divisions members, Austrian Friedl Pfeifer teamed up with Chicago Industrialists Walter and Elizabeth Paepcke to develop Aspen as a summertime cultural center with a ski resort to rival the best in Europe for wintertime visitors. And so it began in 1947 when Aspen Mountain opened with the world's longest ski lift and a $3.75 ticket price (compared to the $87.00 per day 2007 rate!!!).
Aspen's notoriety as a cultural hub has been a part of the resort since its birth. As head of the Aspen Skiing Corporation, the Paepcke's sought to promote Aspen as a center for music, art, dance, theater, and international studies in the arts in addition to its status as a major, world-class ski resort destination. In 1949 the couple formed the Goethe Bicentennial Convocation to celebrate the 200th birthday of the famous writer, and event held in the summer that attracted intellectuals and artists from around the world. This event spawned the birth of various other cultural organizations including the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies, the Aspen Music Festival and Music School, and the International Design Conference of Aspen.
Aspen's "other business" of skiing also grew quickly attracting major international competitions with personalities from the arts, film, and business finding the slopes of Aspen to be the ultimate place to recreate. Over the years the mountain has also undergone many transformations to expand the terrain and services. The creation of Buttermilk Mountain and Aspen Highlands in 1958 as well as the formation of Snowmass Mountain in 1968 solidified Aspen as a premier international resort destination. Eventual combined under the Aspen Skiing Corporation's ownership these four mountains, interconnected on the same lift ticket, offer visitors an experience that is unrivaled anywhere in the world.
Today, Aspen thrives as a cultural and athletic epicenter. After undergoing several transitions of ownership that culminated in the consolidation of the four resorts in the 1990's under the private ownership of the Crown family of Chicago, Aspen continues to be a leader. The Aspen Skiing Corporations dedication to the environment reinforces the Aspen's position amongst intellectuals, artists, and outdoor enthusiasts as a place where nature is first and foremost. Aspen is a community with a history and philosophy that is so entrenched in nature's wonders. You might not be able to find an apartment less than $1M in Aspen these days, but the freedom of the outdoors still thrives here and the abundance of snow is like nothing else you have every experienced! |
