History Mystery: By the Yard

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Where in Aspen is this? Does that house look familiar? We get donations all the time of old photographs that need identification, including people and place. Our archives team is great at their job, but  even they can get stumped. Like this photo. Help us figure out where this is, and the correct answer will receive two passes to any tour of your choice (History Coach, West End Walking Tour, Historic Bike Tour or Hotel Jerome). Send your suggestions to [email protected].

New Historic Bike Tour

WE-cycle has bikes and we’ve got history. It’s the perfect  recipe for a  historic bike tour. We’ve partnered with Aspen’s bike-sharing system to offer a unique tour once a week. The pleasant 90-minute cruise begins at Paepcke Park, loops through the grounds of the Aspen Institute and winds through town to the original Lift One. Participants will learn about local history from a trained guide and will be able to see Aspen from a different perspective. 

 

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Join us every Tuesday at 9 a.m. The tour is $15 and includes a WE-cycle pass. It meets at Paepcke Park.

Ghost Towns Open this Weekend for Summer

Did you know that Ashcroft was once more populated than Aspen and home to more than 2,000 people? There were two newspapers, a smelter, a school and 20 saloons. But, after the area’s shallow silver deposits proved to be disappointing, the miners left for greener pastures and endeavors (Aspen).

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Ashcroft Ghost Town

 

The relics of 10 buildings still stand in the ghost town, and you can take daily tours from one of our trained guides any time between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. At $3, it’s some of the least expensive entertainment in the Roaring Fork Valley.

Driving over the Pass? Stop by the Independence Ghost Town to hear stories about a town that produced more than $190,000 in gold in just a year. Daily tours 10 a.m .to 6 p.m., and the town is just 16 miles east of Aspen.

Both ghost towns open Saturday, June 14 for the summer and will be open daily through Labor Day.

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Independence Ghost Town