Aspen, Colorado — If you consider that Aspen was founded around 1880, it’s odd that it has a Civil War monument. Its mining boom came following the Civil War, and Colorado wasn’t even founded as a state until 1876. So why is there a monument in Aspen to Civil War veterans?
The Aspen Historical Society broke down the history of Civil War veterans in Aspen and their impact on the town’s early history.
Civil War & Aspen
Although the town was not founded until after the Civil War, many of its early residents were Civil War veterans. This included Jerome B. Wheeler, whose name is all over Aspen in places like the Hotel Jerome and Wheeler Opera House. During the war, he broke protocol by bringing food to the malnourished Confederate troops. Other veterans moved west in search of fortune, which led them to Aspen.
Many veterans are buried in Aspen’s Grove, Red Butte, and Utes Cemeteries. Dedicated on Memorial Day in 1899, Aspen’s Civil War memorial honors veterans from both sides of the war. It sits next to Aspen’s courthouse.
Image/Video Credits: Jamie Fenn, Aspen Historical Society
