Wheeler / Stallard Museum
Location:
620 W Bleeker Street
Tel: 970.925.3721
Fax: 970.925.5347
Hours:
Open Tuesday – Saturday (closed Sunday and Monday and major holidays)
1 p.m. – 5 p.m. through September 30
October 3 – November 13: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
November 27 – April 2024: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Admission:*
Free for AHS members
Free for active military personnel through the Blue Star program
$10 adults / $8 seniors / children 18 and under free (must be accompanied by an adult)
Admission is free for all guests on the first Saturday of each month
*Admission fee includes access to the Holden/Marolt Museum during the summer.
About the Museum:
The Wheeler/Stallard house is a Queen Anne style Victorian built around 1887/1888. The first floor of the Museum is interpreted as a Victorian Aspen home and the second floor gallery features rotating exhibitions to explore area history. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the grounds comprise the Ruth Whyte Park.
Site History:
Jerome B. Wheeler built this Queen Anne style Victorian in 1888 for his family. Situated on an entire city block, the home was one of many stately properties in Aspen’s West End neighborhood. Despite his plans, his wife Harriet Macy Valentine Wheeler refused to leave their mansion in Manitou Springs, Colorado and the family never lived in the house. Edgar and Mary Ella Stallard moved in 1905, eventually purchasing the house in 1917. The family lived here for forty years. The house last served as the residence of the Aspen Institute’s president before Aspen Historical Society purchased it in 1969.
We gratefully acknowledge we gather on the land of the Uncompahgre band of the Ute Nation, or Nuche, past and present. We honor this land and the people who lived in harmony with the natural world for generations before their forced removal. We are committed to sharing complete history of the land, recognizing and partnering with Native Peoples, and supporting the advancement of Native places and heritage. This calls us all to be better stewards of the land we inhabit and the natural resources we benefit from today.
Decade by Decade: Aspen Revealed
Summer 2020 – Spring 2024
Aspen Historical Society presents Decade by Decade: Aspen Revealed, a new exhibit that offers a comprehensive view of Aspen’s fascinating past. The exhibit explores the stories that shaped the community’s distinct identity: from mining boom to dilapidated ranching town to today’s international recreational and cultural resort, Aspen forged a unique path. Featuring photographs and artifacts that represent Aspen’s connection to national events and trends, the exhibition reflects on the community’s place within the larger historical landscape of the nation – sometimes congruent, sometimes divergent – but always exciting. Decade by Decade: Aspen Revealed will appeal to visitors and locals of all ages, showcasing the depth of the AHS Collection.
Thanks to our generous supporters who made this exhibit possible:
Century
Melony and Adam Lewis
Lynda and Stewart Resnick
Decade
Jacolyn and John Bucksbaum
Corrine and Lenny Sands Foundation
Fred and Elli Iselin Foundation
Thrift Shop of Aspen
ZG-CHICKS
Year
Charles Cunniffe Architects
Artifact
Austin Memorial Foundation
Bob Beattie Ski Foundation
Ruth Turnquist Carver
Karen Hartman
Barbara Reid and David Hyman
Allison and David Ratajczak
Susan and Chuck Riepenhoff
Christin and Mark Taché
Valley Fine Art
In-Kind
The Aspen Times
Archives Building
Archives & Collection Research
Hours of Operation:
The Archives Office is open from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday,* however appointments are requested: please contact [email protected] of 970.925.3721 ext. 103 to make an appointment for research assistance.
About the Archives:
Located on the same property as the Wheeler/Stallard Museum, the Archives Building is home to the Society’s Archives and a good portion of the Collection.
AHS operates one of the largest public archives on the Western slope, an invaluable public resource for the local and regional community. A significant portion of the Collection is housed in the Archives Building, including close to 50,000 historical images, oral histories, newspapers, manuscripts, films, and other records, as well as many of the 7,500-plus artifacts that have been accessioned and preserved by the Society for the benefit of the community. The Collection grows each year, as do the number of archival consultations.
The public is invited to use the archives for research, for anything from genealogy to birth certificates to historic land use records. Archivists are available for research assistance.
The AHS Online Archives is accessible to the public at archiveaspen.org, where more than 26,000 historical images from the AHS Collection can be searched and purchased online.
*The Archives Office is closed December 24 – January 1, as well as for major holidays including Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Community Gallery
The Community Gallery is a multi-use space located on the first floor of the Archives Building. The room is available by appointment for use as a meeting space, contact [email protected] to reserve. The Community Gallery also features rotating displays highlighting works from the AHS Collection.
Currently on display, a curated selection of historical images from the newly accession Aspen Illustrated News Collection offers viewers a photojournalistic history of life in the area in the late 1960s. Launched as an alternative to The Aspen Times, Aspen Illustrated News was published weekly from December 18, 1964 through February 1970. The newspaper was owned and published by Harold Pabst (of the Pabst Blue Ribbon family) and, according to the inaugural issue, the paper was “…dedicated to bringing, both in words and pictures, news of interest to Aspen and Pitkin County. Aspen and Pitkin County are growing at a pace which virtually guarantees that we will have more problems, not less. This calls for more community action, cooperation, and solid information.” The photo-heavy publication featured images taken by staff and freelancers, including prolific photographer David Hiser, who provided a vibrant view of the 1960s as they documented life in Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley. The Aspen Illustrated News Collection was donated by the Pabst family and includes hard copies of the issues as well as more than 5,500 images taken by various photographers for the paper.
The Community Gallery is open during Archives Office hours (Monday – Friday, 9 am – 4:30 pm), however it is best to call ahead to confirm access in case there are meetings or gatherings in the room that prohibit viewing of the display. The Archives Office is closed for major holidays, including Thanksgiving and the Friday after, as well as the week between Christmas and New Years.
