(Colorado - Aspen) Birds Eye View of Aspen

Bird's Eye View of Aspen Pitkin Co. Colo. 1893 Published By The Aspen Times

Aspen in 1893 was nearing the end of the silver boom and was the third largest city in Colorado with a population over 10,000 people. It was active and developing, and this birds eye view is a contrast compared with the W.H. Jackson based print of Aspen from 1889. The town is considerably larger with more large mine operations in the nearby hills, the additions of businesses, williams lake & race course, and the much clearer nearby slopes as most were denuded of trees and made into lumber. With a key noting eighty three different notable locations, this view stretches the grid of the town from “Eighth Street” to beyond “West Street” on the other end, from “Reynolds Ave” to beyond “Hill Street”. At this time both the D&RG as well as the Colorado Midland serviced the town, which helped make shipping low grade ore more economical to ship to market, from this town which was now the largest producer in the nation. This rare edition of Koch view is indeed the three color print that was issued in the Apsen Times, and though bisected and backed with canvas, ads and newsprint can be made out on back (“Clothes Wringers”, “D.B. Kobey & Co.”, “Wood! Wood!”). A really rare birdeye view and a wonderful relic of the time, and it is our first time to offer it.

Condition is good with bold color remaining and with only some minor scuffing and marginal chipping to two right panels. Though the canvas backing isn't original to how it was issued in the newspaper, it probably went a long way in protecting the image, and appears to have been done contemporary to its issuance. There are some points of weakness along the fold lines, but it is still intact and solid. A small hand written label appears on the front when folded down and appears to state in German the title and a date of April 26 1899. Image size is approximately 29 x 39.5 (inches)