Ashcroft, Colorado
Encyclopedia
Ashcroft originally known as Castle Forks City and then Chloride until 1882, was a mining town located ten miles (16 km) south of Aspen near Castle Creek, in Pitkin County
, Colorado
, United States
. A few buildings remain standing as a testament to the town's past.
in search of silver deposits in the Castle Creek Valley. Silver they found and Coxhead promoted their discovery with zeal back in Leadville. When he returned to "Castle Forks City," as it had been dubbed, he found that 23 other prospectors had joined "Crazy Culver." Together the men formed a Miners' Protective Association, built a courthouse and laid out the streets in Ashcroft in just two weeks. Each of their association's members paid a $5, or one day's work, and $1, to draw for building lots. In all there were 97 members in the Ashcroft Miners' Protective Association.
The town was renamed Ashcroft in 1882 after a rich ore strike was uncovered in Montezuma and Tam O'Shanter Mines. The mines were partially owned by H.A.W. Tabor
of Leadville mining fame. Reportedly, Tabor and his second wife visited Ashcroft in 1883 and hosted a grand ball and banquet. Tabor also reportedly bought rounds of drinks for everyone in each of the town's 13 saloons.
The same year that Tabor visited Ashcroft the town population had risen to around 2,000. Ashcroft was also home to two newspapers, a school, sawmill
s, a small smelter and 20 saloons. At this point in its history the town was larger than Aspen
and closer to the railroad in Crested Butte
.
By 1885 the town was home to about 3,500 people, had six hotels and 20 saloons. As quickly as the town went boom it went bust
By the year 1885 there were only 100 summer residents and $5.60 in the town coffers. Only a handful of aging, single men made Ashcroft home by the turn of the 20th century. Though they all owned mining claims they spent most of their time fishing and hunting or reading and drinking in a local bar. The men traded stories for drinks and served as an informal employment agency, matching up men with the sporadic remaining work at the mines. Every four years the remaining citizens would hold municipal elections and choose officers from amongst themselves.
The town's last resident, Jack Leahy died in 1939, making Ashcroft an official ghost town.
, who was captain of America's gold medal Olympic bobsled team, built the Highland-Bavarian Lodge north of Ashcroft. They planned to build a European style ski resort complete with an aerial tramway leading up to Mount Hayden. World War II
put an end to their plans as Fiske was killed in combat and Ryan ended up leasing Ashcroft to the U.S. Army for $1 a year.
During WWII the Army's 10th Mountain Division used Ashcroft for mountaineering training, mostly during the summer of 1942. Following the war most of the area's ski development centered on Aspen and Ryan later deeded the site to the U.S. Forest Service.
In 1948 WWII veteran Stuart Mace, also a well known dog sledder, brought his family and dog sled
operation to Ashcroft. In 1955
Mace and his Toklat huskies were featured in the television series Sgt. Preston of the Yukon
, and the ghost town was fitted with false fronts to imitate a Canadian set for the filming of the series through 1958
. Mace was given the use of 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of land in exchange for caretaking what remaining holdings Highland-Bavarian had in the Ashcroft area. He devoted the remainder of his life to protecting the area from development and restoring the ecology. He was joined in that effort in 1974 by the Aspen Historical Society which helped Ashcroft make it to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1975.
Pitkin County, Colorado
Pitkin County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county is named in honor of the late Colorado Governor Frederick Walker Pitkin. The county population was 14,872 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Aspen...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. A few buildings remain standing as a testament to the town's past.
The early years
In the spring of 1880 two prospectors, Charles B. Culver and W.F. Coxhead left the mining boomtown of LeadvilleLeadville, Colorado
Leadville is a Statutory City that is the county seat of, and the only municipality in, Lake County, Colorado, United States. Situated at an elevation of , Leadville is the highest incorporated city and the second highest incorporated municipality in the United States...
in search of silver deposits in the Castle Creek Valley. Silver they found and Coxhead promoted their discovery with zeal back in Leadville. When he returned to "Castle Forks City," as it had been dubbed, he found that 23 other prospectors had joined "Crazy Culver." Together the men formed a Miners' Protective Association, built a courthouse and laid out the streets in Ashcroft in just two weeks. Each of their association's members paid a $5, or one day's work, and $1, to draw for building lots. In all there were 97 members in the Ashcroft Miners' Protective Association.
The town was renamed Ashcroft in 1882 after a rich ore strike was uncovered in Montezuma and Tam O'Shanter Mines. The mines were partially owned by H.A.W. Tabor
Horace Austin Warner Tabor
Horace Austin Warner Tabor , also known as The Bonanza King of Leadville, was an American prospector, businessman, and politician. His life is the subject of Douglas Moore's opera, The Ballad of Baby Doe....
of Leadville mining fame. Reportedly, Tabor and his second wife visited Ashcroft in 1883 and hosted a grand ball and banquet. Tabor also reportedly bought rounds of drinks for everyone in each of the town's 13 saloons.
The same year that Tabor visited Ashcroft the town population had risen to around 2,000. Ashcroft was also home to two newspapers, a school, sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s, a small smelter and 20 saloons. At this point in its history the town was larger than Aspen
Aspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
and closer to the railroad in Crested Butte
Crested Butte, Colorado
Crested Butte is a Home Rule Municipality in Gunnison County, Colorado, United States. A former coal mining town now called "the last great Colorado ski town," Crested Butte is a destination for skiing, mountain biking, and a variety of other outdoor activities...
.
By 1885 the town was home to about 3,500 people, had six hotels and 20 saloons. As quickly as the town went boom it went bust
Decline
The silver deposits that Culver and Coxhead initially discovered produced 14,000 ounces of silver to the ton at their onset. This production, however, was short-lived as the deposits were but shallow ones. Though there were promises of a rail line to Crested Butte the promises never materialized and investors and workers were lured away to places such as Aspen. In 1884 another rich strike was discovered, this one, however, was in Aspen, not in Ashcroft. This would lead to the end of the prosperity in Ashcroft as people began moving to Aspen instead.By the year 1885 there were only 100 summer residents and $5.60 in the town coffers. Only a handful of aging, single men made Ashcroft home by the turn of the 20th century. Though they all owned mining claims they spent most of their time fishing and hunting or reading and drinking in a local bar. The men traded stories for drinks and served as an informal employment agency, matching up men with the sporadic remaining work at the mines. Every four years the remaining citizens would hold municipal elections and choose officers from amongst themselves.
The town's last resident, Jack Leahy died in 1939, making Ashcroft an official ghost town.
Renewed interest
The 1930s saw a new flurry of interest in the village. This time it wasn't mining but the burdgeoning winter Olympics and winter sports that drew attention to Ashcroft. International sportsman Ted Ryan and his partner Billy FiskeBilly Fiske
William Meade Lindsley "Billy" Fiske III was the 1928 and 1932 Olympic champion bobsled driver and, following Jimmy Davies, was one of the first American pilots killed in action in World War II...
, who was captain of America's gold medal Olympic bobsled team, built the Highland-Bavarian Lodge north of Ashcroft. They planned to build a European style ski resort complete with an aerial tramway leading up to Mount Hayden. World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
put an end to their plans as Fiske was killed in combat and Ryan ended up leasing Ashcroft to the U.S. Army for $1 a year.
During WWII the Army's 10th Mountain Division used Ashcroft for mountaineering training, mostly during the summer of 1942. Following the war most of the area's ski development centered on Aspen and Ryan later deeded the site to the U.S. Forest Service.
In 1948 WWII veteran Stuart Mace, also a well known dog sledder, brought his family and dog sled
Dog sled
A dog sled is a sled pulled by one or more sled dogs used to travel over ice and through snow. Numerous types of sleds are used, depending on their function. They can be used for dog sled racing.-History:...
operation to Ashcroft. In 1955
1955 in television
The year 1955 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1955.-Events:*March 5 – Elvis Presley appears on television for the first time...
Mace and his Toklat huskies were featured in the television series Sgt. Preston of the Yukon
Challenge of the Yukon
Challenge of the Yukon was a radio series that began on Detroit's station WXYZ , and an example of a Northern genre story. The series was first heard on February 3, 1938...
, and the ghost town was fitted with false fronts to imitate a Canadian set for the filming of the series through 1958
1958 in television
The year 1958 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1958.-Events:*January 14 – TWW, the first ITV franchise for South Wales and West of England, went on the air....
. Mace was given the use of 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of land in exchange for caretaking what remaining holdings Highland-Bavarian had in the Ashcroft area. He devoted the remainder of his life to protecting the area from development and restoring the ecology. He was joined in that effort in 1974 by the Aspen Historical Society which helped Ashcroft make it to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1975.
External links
- Photos of Ashcroft Colorado Ghost Town Site provided by Rocky Mountain Profiles
- Full Resolution Ghost Town and Historic Photos by Coloradopast.com
- Ashcroft, Colorado Tourism Office. http://www.colorado.com/index.php
- Ashcroft, Colorado, on ghosttowns.com.
- First Hand Account of a wagon trip to Ashcroft.
- Photo Collection of Ashcroft, Declan McCullagh Photography.