Collins Block

	Collins Block – Aspen Lumber and Supply
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
	North and west elevations, 2010
	Location within Colorado Collins Block (the United States)
Location	204 S. Mill St.,; Aspen, Colorado
Coordinates	39°11′22″N106°49′9″W / 39.18944°N 106.81917°W
Built	1891–93
Architectural style	Victorian, Neoclassical
MPS	Aspen MRA
NRHP reference No.	87000191
Added to NRHP	March 6, 1987

Last updated August 15, 2024

The Collins Block is a historic commercial building located at 204 South Mill Street in Aspen, Colorado. It is a brick and stone structure erected in the early 1890s.

It was the last major construction project in the city before the silver-mining industry, mainstay of Aspen's economy, collapsed following the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. The classically inspired decorative touches, such as a colonnade-supported roof over the sidewalk and an elaborate cornice, are the only ones on a commercial building in the city. They anticipate the wider embrace of the Classical Revival style in other cities that began a few years later.^[3]

For much of its existence it housed a lumber supply store. Local developer Harley Baldwin, owner of the neighboring Brand Building, bought it in 1988. After renovations, he began leasing space within the buildings to upscale retailers, earning the two the combined nickname of "Gucci Gulch". The Caribou Club, a members-only restaurant and Aspen institution, is located in the basement.

Building

The building is located on the southeast corner of the intersection of East Hopkins Avenue and South Mill Street. Other commercial structures, historic and modern, fill the built-out blocks. To the immediate east is the Brand Building, with Aspen City Hall on the opposite far corner. Both are listed on the Register. At the south end of the opposite block of Mill is another listed building, the Wheeler Opera House, opposite a pedestrian mall.

Like most of its neighbors (except the Wheeler), the Collins Block is two stories high. The north frontage, along East Hopkins, is five bays long with the western facade seven. Rusticated sandstone, interrupted by several storefronts and a recessed corner entrance with column, faces the first floor on both sides. A flat wooden roof extends out to cover the sidewalk on both sides, supported by smooth round wooden Tuscan columns.^[1]

The second story is faced in brick. On the north face fenestration is one-over-one double-hung sash windows. Its middle three bays have a recessed porch with Ionic columns and a wooden balustrade.^[1] At the roofline is a lightly dentilled cornice with broad overhanging eaves. The roof itself is flat.

Inside, the ground level consists of storefronts and offices. The upstairs level is a residence. In the basement is the Caribou Club.

Caribou Club

Entrance to the Caribou Club is via an unmarked mahogany door with brass trim. It opens into a paneled entry area with 19th-century Western landscape paintings. On the east is the entrance to the Great Room, similarly paneled in wood and British racing green. It is decorated with more landscapes, by Frederic Remington and Albert Bierstadt, among others. Its dominant piece of furniture is a 10-foot (3 m) sofa with an equally long ottoman.^[4]

The main corridor leads around the Great Room past bathrooms, the wine cellar and two private rooms to the bar, also accessible from the Great Room.^[5] The room has many personal pictures from members on its wall. The bar itself is mahogany with a brass rail along the floor.^[4]

In the southeast corner is the dining room. It is finished in a shade described as "somewhere between Etruscan red and a ripe tomato." Light is furnished by candles and antler chandeliers. There are six round tables for diners.^[4]

History

Samuel Collins began construction of the building in 1891, when the city was at the peak of its population and prosperity due to the Colorado Silver Boom. It was designed to have businesses on the first floor and offices on the second. Collins had problems with the carpenters' union that delayed completion of the project for two years. That delay may have accounted for the disparity between the more Victorian look of the stone lower story and the neoclassical elements of the upper story. The latter may have been inspired by the influential use of neoclassical design at the Chicago World's Fair of 1893.^[3]

Later that year, Congress repealed the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, which had required the federal government regularly purchase the metal to back the dollar in addition to gold. Aspen, which had grown so rich so rapidly from those sales of its silver, suffered severely as the market collapsed and many of its miners left for the gold fields of Cripple Creek. The Collins survived into the city's ensuing "quiet years" of steady population decline, when vacancy and disuse felled many of the other relics of that era.^[3]

In the 1930s, a time when Aspen was down to less than a thousand people, the Collins housed a mortuary. A couple named Tom and Alice Rachel Sardy bought it in 1938^[3] and moved in. They also became proprietors of another business in the building, Aspen Supply, which sold furniture and hardware.^[6]

The mortuary was successful enough that the Sardy family was able to move out and build a house on Main Street across from Paepcke Park which is still known as the Sardy House. They bought a lumber business across the street, moved the mortuary to their house and combined the two businesses into Aspen Lumber & Supply, using almost the whole Collins Block. After World War II, Aspen began to develop into the ski resort town it is today. The Sardys sold part of both their family businesses to Walter Paepcke, the Chicago businessman who guided much of that era of the city's development. In the late 1940s, Tom Sardy recognized that Aspen would need a modern airport, and after being elected a Pitkin County commissioner worked to get one built. Sardy Field at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport is named in his honor.^[6]

In 1988 the Collins was acquired by Aspen developer and businessman Harley Baldwin, who already owned the neighboring Brand Building. Returning to Aspen after 16 years of activity in New York, he undertook extensive renovations to the structure. The upper floor he returned to residential use, building for himself and his partner, Richard Edwards, a 6,000-square-foot (560 m²) penthouse that was later featured in Architectural Digest .^[7]

On the ground level he eased out the remnants of the hardware store and other, similar retail tenants. In their place came upscale fashion boutiques such as Bulgari and Brioni, complementing the Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Dior presence at the other end of the block.^[8] These entrants into the local marketplace, into a city that had not previously shown the effect of its growing population of rich and famous residents, earned the two buildings the nickname "Glitter Gulch", which eventually became applied to Aspen as a whole.^[7]

In the basement of the Collins, Baldwin built the Caribou Club. Admission was limited to members only, the first time such an establishment had opened in Aspen, where celebrities and locals had previously mixed at the Hotel Jerome's bar. Baldwin was criticized for this,^[9] but the Caribou became one of the city's most popular nightspots.^[10] Diana Ross and Tom Ford, as well as businesspeople like Warren Lichtenstein and Lynda Resnick, are among the regulars.^[8]

In 1987, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places along with many other historic properties in the city.

Related Research Articles

Aspen is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 7,004 at the 2020 United States Census. Aspen is in a remote area of the Rocky Mountains' Sawatch Range and Elk Mountains, along the Roaring Fork River at an elevation just below 8,000 feet (2,400 m) above sea level on the Western Slope, 11 miles (18 km) west of the Continental Divide. Aspen is now a part of the Glenwood Springs, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Pitkin County, Colorado.

Aspen City Hall, known in the past as Armory Hall, Fraternal Hall, is located at the intersection of South Galena Street and East Hopkins Avenue in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is a brick building dating to the 1890s. In 1975 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The La Fave Block is located at the intersection of East Cooper Avenue and South Hunter Street in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is a brick commercial building erected in the late 1880s, during the initial mining boom that created Aspen. Today it is the second oldest brick commercial building in the city, and, along with its neighbors on East Cooper, the only structure left built by Frank LaFave, one of Aspen's early settlers. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

The Wheeler Opera House is located at the corner of East Hyman Avenue and South Mill Street in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is a stone building erected during the 1890s, from a design by Willoughby J. Edbrooke that blends elements of the Romanesque Revival and Italianate architectural styles. In 1972 it became the first property in the city to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the second in Pitkin County. The upstairs auditorium hosts a number of events every year, ranging from nationally prominent music and comedy acts and some of the Aspen Music Festival's events to productions by local community groups.

The Hyman–Brand Building, often referred to as just the Brand Building, is located at the corner of South Galena Street and East Hopkins Avenue in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is a two-story stone building erected in the late 19th century. At different stages in the city's history, it was owned by an entrepreneur who used the building in a way that redefined the city for that time. In 1985, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harley Baldwin</span> American land developer and art dealer

Harley Baldwin was an American developer and art dealer who divided his time between residences in Aspen, Colorado, and New York City. He was best known for his successes in the former community, where the upscale boutiques and exclusive nightclub that opened in two historic buildings he renovated eventually lent the ski-resort community the nickname "Glitter Gulch". While this was controversial in a community that had long prided itself on its lack of pretension, he was generally seen positively in Aspen

The Pitkin County Courthouse is located on East Main Street in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is a large brick building erected in the late 19th century that serves as offices of Pitkin County's courts. A landmark of the city, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

The Red Onion is a restaurant located on East Cooper Avenue in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is the oldest restaurant in the city, housed in a three-story red brick Italianate building dating to the late 19th century. In 1987 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as "New Brick–The Brick Saloon", along with other historic properties in the city.

The Dixon–Markle House is located at the corner of East Cooper Avenue and South Aspen Street in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is a wood frame house erected in the 1880s. In 1987 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places along with other properties in the city.

Aspen Community Church is located at the intersection of East Bleeker and North Aspen streets in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is a stone building erected in the late 19th century. In 1975 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the only house of worship in Pitkin County to be accorded that distinction.

Pioneer Park, also known as the Henry Webber House or the Webber–Paepcke House, is located on West Bleeker Street in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is a brick structure erected in the 1880s, one of the few such homes in the city. In 1987 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Wheeler–Stallard House is located on West Bleeker Street in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is an 1880s brick structure built in the Queen Anne architectural style, and renovated twice in the 20th century. In 1975 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Samuel I. Hallett House is located on West Francis Avenue in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is a timber frame structure built in the late 19th century. In 1987 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Davis Waite House is located on West Francis Street in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is a wooden structure in Victorian architectural styles built during the 1880s. In 1987 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places along with several other historic properties in the city.

The Bowles–Cooley House is located at the corner of West Francis and North First streets in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is a brick structure in the Queen Anne architectural style built during the 1880s. In 1987 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places along with many other historic properties in the city.

The Hotel Jerome is located on East Main Street in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is a brick structure built in the 1880s that is often described as one of the city's major landmarks, its "crown jewel". In 1986 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is operated by Auberge Resorts.

The D. E. Frantz House is located on West Bleeker Street in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is a wooden frame house constructed for a local lumber magnate during the 1880s in the Queen Anne architectural style. It has remained a private residence ever since and is largely intact. In 1987 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places along with other historic properties in the city. Included in the listing is a small barn in the back, although the date of its construction is not known.

The Newberry House, also known as the Judge Shaw House, is located on Lake Avenue in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is a wooden structure in the Shingle Style built around 1890. In 1987 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places along with other properties in the city.

The Shilling–Lamb House, also sometimes referred to as Victoria House, is located on North Second Street in Aspen, Colorado, United States. It is a wood frame structure in the Queen Anne architectural style built around 1890. In 1987 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

References

1 2 3 "Pitkin County". Colorado Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
1 2 3 4 Norgren, Barbara (July 13, 1986). "National Register of Historic Places nomination, Collins Block – Aspen Lumber & Supply" . Retrieved December 22, 2012.
1 2 3 "Welcome to the Caribou Club, Aspen, Colorado". The Caribou Club. Archived from the original on March 24, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
↑ "Club Floor Plan". The Caribou Club. Archived from the original on March 3, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
1 2 Condon, Scott (March 17, 2010). "Alice Sardy, one of Aspen's 'sweetest' dies at age 101". Vail Daily . Vail, CO . Retrieved April 22, 2010.
1 2 Oliver, Myrna (February 7, 2005). "Harley Baldwin, 59; Led Effort to Transform Aspen". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved April 22, 2011.
1 2 Knadler, Jessie (December 16, 2006). "Caribou Club, Aspen, Colo". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved April 22, 2011.
↑ Urqhart, Janet (January 30, 2005). "Harley Baldwin, entrepreneurial 'force of nature'". Aspen Times . Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
↑ Colman, David (January 31, 2005). "Harley Baldwin, 59, an Entrepreneur Who Gave Aspen Cachet". The New York Times . Retrieved April 21, 2011.

External links

Caribou Club website

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[COAHP_page-1] 1 2 3 "Pitkin County". Colorado Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2011.

[nris-2] "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.

[NRHP_nom-3] 1 2 3 4 Norgren, Barbara (July 13, 1986). "National Register of Historic Places nomination, Collins Block – Aspen Lumber & Supply" . Retrieved December 22, 2012.

[Caribou_Club_page-4] 1 2 3 "Welcome to the Caribou Club, Aspen, Colorado". The Caribou Club. Archived from the original on March 24, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2011.

[Caribou_Club_floor_plan-5] "Club Floor Plan". The Caribou Club. Archived from the original on March 3, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2011.

[Sardy_obit-6] 1 2 Condon, Scott (March 17, 2010). "Alice Sardy, one of Aspen's 'sweetest' dies at age 101". Vail Daily . Vail, CO . Retrieved April 22, 2010.

[LA_Times_Baldwin_obit-7] 1 2 Oliver, Myrna (February 7, 2005). "Harley Baldwin, 59; Led Effort to Transform Aspen". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved April 22, 2011.

[WSJ_story-8] 1 2 Knadler, Jessie (December 16, 2006). "Caribou Club, Aspen, Colo". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved April 22, 2011.

[Aspen_Times_Baldwin_obit-9] Urqhart, Janet (January 30, 2005). "Harley Baldwin, entrepreneurial 'force of nature'". Aspen Times . Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2011.

[NY_Times_Baldwin_obit-10] Colman, David (January 31, 2005). "Harley Baldwin, 59, an Entrepreneur Who Gave Aspen Cachet". The New York Times . Retrieved April 21, 2011.

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