Independence was the first mining site in the Roaring Fork Valley where, legend has it, prospectors discovered the Independence Gold Lode on July 4, 1879. Interpretive signs and trails tell of the characters, enterprises, and structures that make it an integral part of area history. Located just below the Continental Divide, the ghost town is a “don’t-miss stop” on Independence Pass along the Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway.

By 1882, Independence had a population of roughly 1,000 people working in the mines and the Farwell Gold Mill, for freight or stage outfits, or for one of the 40 businesses that lined Aspen Avenue. But the boom was about to bust. Gold veins were only shallow deposits that were quickly exhausted. Over $190,000 of gold was produced in 1881 and 1882, but by August 1882 the mines and mill were closed.

During its short life, Independence was known by many names: Farwell, Chipeta City, Sparkhill, Mammoth Mountain, and Mt. Hope. Different groups attempted to gain control of the camp to sell town lots, but the name Independence endured.

Prospectors searched in vain over the next several decades for one more mother lode but never found another gold deposit. Miners packed up and moved to other gold strikes or down to Aspen, which was growing quickly due to large silver deposits. By 1888, Aspen had approximately 7,000 residents, while fewer than 100 citizens remained in Independence.

The end finally came in the winter of 1899, when record snowfall blanketed Colorado. Supply routes were cut off and food ran out. Residents used long planks of wood to make 75 pairs of skis, escaping en masse to Aspen. They made light of their adventure by making it a ski race – entry fee: one ham sandwich.

In 1975, Aspen Historical Society was granted a permit by the United States Forest Services to maintain and interpret the ghost town site, and it was also added to the National Register of Historical Places which helped protect the remaining structures under federal law. Soon after, AHS began staffing an intern at the site in partnership with the USFS. Preservation and reconstruction efforts began in earnest in the 1980s under the leadership of Ramona Markalunas.