Holden / Marolt Mining & Ranching Museum - Aspen Historical Society Holden / Marolt Mining & Ranching Museum Location 40180 Highway 82 Aspen, CO 81611 On the Marolt Open Space bike path by the pedestrian bridge at 7th Street Limited parking Dogs are welcome on the grounds but must be leashed during operating hours Hours Museum grounds accessible year-round À la carte bookings, dependent on availability Museum open with docents June - September Free Admission Generously underwritten by Carl’s Pharmacy and Miners' Building Hardware The museum is open seasonally and by appointment during the fall, winter, and spring. The grounds are accessible year-round. Explore the area’s industrial and agricultural history on the site of the largest industrial complex in the history of Pitkin County, the Holden Lixiviation Works! From mining to railways to ranching, the past comes alive in the former Sampling-building-turned-museum, the original salt shed, and the relocated and restored historic McMurchy/Zupancis cabin and outbuildings, which help tell the story of Aspen’s Victorian era and the immigrants who helped shape the community’s agrarian heritage. The museum property is situated within the Marolt Open space and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Highlights: Operational mining and ranching machinery – catch a demonstration of historical 1880s steam engines and more Docents, videos and interpretive signage – chat with a docent during open hours, or explore the museum property on your own Immaculate interior restoration – replica wallpapers, furniture, and decor in the time capsule McMurchy/Zupancis cabin Life-size replicas of farm animals – kids will especially love the demonstration milking cow in the McMurchy/Zupancis barn Spanish-language translations – available in print (digital option coming soon!) for the interpretive signage across the property Get Directions Machinery Demo Days Fridays in the summer Feel the shake, hear the rattle, see the roll! Head to the museum on Friday afternoons to enjoy machine demonstrations, tours of the McMurchy/Zupancis cabin, lemonade, picnics, and more! More info Gallery Photo | Bryan May Photo | Bryan May Discover the property's past in the Archives View digitized historical photographs of the Holden Lixiviation Works in the online archives, including prints available for purchase. Browse Site History The Holden Lixiviation Works opened in 1891 and sprawled over 22 acres at the edge of Aspen, boasting state-of-the-art mining technology. Much later the site was incorporated into the Marolt Ranch and farmed by the Marolt family for generations, before becoming part of the City of Aspen’s open space program. This site is a treasure trove of stories, encapsulating both Aspen’s mining and ranching heritage. 1870 - 1904 Silver Mining Aspen’s mining history is a tale of boom and bust. Founded as a silver mining camp in 1879, Aspen swiftly became the largest silver producer in the US. By 1893, its population exceeded 13,000, and it ranked as the third largest city in Colorado, surpassed only by Denver and Leadville. In September 1890, The Aspen Times heralded the announcement of the Holden Lixiviation Works by proclaiming, “the sweet day dreams of those who have longed to see Aspen a great city are about to be realized.” Completed in November of 1891, just 21 months before Congress repealed the Sherman Silver Act, the Lixiviation plant went bankrupt, having never generated a profit. It was one of only eighteen plants built worldwide to utilize the experimental Russell Lixiviation process to refine low-grade ore. The Holden Lixiviation Works refined ore by crushing and treating it with heat and chemical salts to extract silver from as low grade of ore as ten ounces per ton. The plant’s Stetefeldt furnaces emitted fumes from a towering 165-foot-high smokestack, reputed to be the highest in the state. By 1904, after several attempts to run the Holden Works as an ore concentrator, the plant was permanently closed. 1904 - 1980 Marolt Ownership The Marolt family began ranching near the property in 1912. In 1932, they purchased the land for one dollar and combined it with the Midland Ranch to form the Marolt Ranch. The Marolts raised sheep and cattle and planted potatoes. By the late 1950s, the family started selling off parcels of their land due to decreasing Forest Service grazing acreage, financial strains from their children’s college educations, and Mike Marolt’s deteriorating health. Photo | Aspen Historical Society 1980 - Present Interpretive Site In the early 1980s, the City of Aspen purchased the remaining property and designated it the Marolt-Thomas Open Space. In 1989, AHS partnered with the City to manage and interpret the site’s history, and the property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Holden/Marolt Mining & Ranching Museum formally opened in 2003 in the former Sampling building, one of the last structures remaining from the Holden Lixiviation Works. The museum was established and managed under the guidance of Carl Bergman, an Aspen Historical Society board member. His love for steam machinery and mining history played a vital role in the success of the museum. In 2017, the City of Aspen added to the site by moving the historic McMurchy/Zupancis buildings to the property to accommodate their construction of a new police station, bringing more chapters of the area’s history to the Holden/Marolt site. These structures now house exhibits on Ranching, Immigration, and feature a recreation of a Victorian middle-class interior. Grounds Rentals Step back in time at one of Aspen’s most historically important locations. Tucked up against Shadow Mountain on the banks of Castle Creek within the Marolt Open Space, the pastoral views and understated ranch setting offer a uniquely beautiful backdrop for any occasion. Available June through October Additional Locations Wheeler / Stallard Museum 620 W. Bleeker Street Independence Ghost Town 16 miles east of Aspen on Highway 82 Ashcroft Ghost Town 11000 Castle Creek Road Archives Office 620 W. Bleeker Street Land Acknowledgement We gratefully acknowledge we gather on the land of the Uncompahgre band of the Ute Nation, or Nuche, past and present. We honor this land and the people who lived in harmony with the natural world for generations before their forced removal. We are committed to sharing the complete history of the land, recognizing and partnering with Native Peoples, and supporting the advancement of Native places and heritage. This calls us all to be better stewards of the land we inhabit and the natural resources we benefit from today.