Ashcroft - Colorado Ghost Town

ASHCROFT

NAME: Ashcroft
COUNTY: Pitkin
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 5
CLIMATE: Cold Winter, mild summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Summer

COMMENTS: Maintained by the Aspen Historical society.
REMAINS: Nine original buildings.

Originally named Castle Forks, then Chloride, this town was founded aroun 1880 due to the location of placer deposites in the Castle Creek Valley. There was such a boom that three years later there were 2500 residents, two newspapers, a school, two sawmills, and 20 saloons. The town soon dwindeled as the mines played out and nearby the nearby Aspen load was located. By 1900, there was only two people left. In 1953, the land was deeded to the Forest Service and is now preserved by the Aspen Historical Society. Ashcroft Courtesy Dolores Steele House Courtesy Dolores Steele Blue Mirror Saloon Courtesy Dolores Steele Hotel Courtesy Dolores Steele Ashcroft Courtesy Dolores Steele Ashcroft Todd Underwood Ashcroft Todd Underwood Ashcroft Courtesy Mike Woodfin Ashcroft Courtesy Mike Woodfin Ashcroft Courtesy Mike Woodfin	Ashcroft Today Courtesy Colorado Publicity Department Ashcroft Courtesy Dolores Steele Ashcroft Courtesy Dolores Steele Mercantile Courtesy Dolores Steele Ashcroft Courtesy Dolores Steele Ashcroft Todd Underwood Ashcroft Todd Underwood Ashcroft Todd Underwood Ashcroft Courtesy Mike Woodfin Ashcroft Courtesy Mike Woodfin Ashcroft Courtesy Mike Woodfin

Originally named Castle Forks, then Chloride, this town was founded aroun 1880 due to the location of placer deposites in the Castle Creek Valley. There was such a boom that three years later there were 2500 residents, two newspapers, a school, two sawmills, and 20 saloons. The town soon dwindeled as the mines played out and nearby the nearby Aspen load was located. By 1900, there was only two people left. In 1953, the land was deeded to the Forest Service and is now preserved by the Aspen Historical Society.