All Season Guide to Aspen, Colorado

The words "Aspen, Colorado" invoke visions of snow-capped mountains that can be skied with the rich, the beautiful and the famous. However, Aspen is more than a just a playground for the elite. The town has a rich cultural history that can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life. Like many locations in Colorado, Aspen's history was influenced by the mining craze of the late 1800s. Many of Aspen's impressive Victorian edifices were built in this period. In 1883, Jerome Wheeler, a wealthy entrepreneur from New York came to visit Aspen and decided to invest in its mining properties. He also invested in Midland Railroad, which added to the success of the community. Wheeler then went on to build two of Aspen's most important buildings: The Hotel Jerome and the Wheeler Opera House.

The grand opening of the Wheeler Opera House was a significant event in Aspen's History. Rumors of the theater's elaborate interior inspired potential visitors to dress in a manner that would have them complement there surroundings. As a result, the request for exquisite millenary was a great benefit to local merchants. This in turn benefited the entire Aspen economy. Unfortunately, when silver was demonetized in 1893, the town's economy suffered. Although the town survived as a ranching center, its population was rarely above 700. When a fire damaged much of the Wheeler Opera House in 1912, hope in Aspen's future began to die. Hope was briefly revived in 1935, when an international group came to Aspen in search for a perfect location for a ski area. They hired Swiss Avalanche expert André Roche to develop.