Review:

Ashcroft Townsite preserves the remains of a prominent 19th-century mining site near the city of Aspen, Colorado, originally developed in 1880 by prospectors Charles B. Culver and W.F. Coxhead, who discovered silver deposits within the area's beautiful Castle Creek Valley. The town, which was originally known as Castle Forks City, was home to six hotels and 20 saloons at its peak in 1885, attracting more than 3,500 residents hoping to strike it rich. The town quickly boomed and busted, becoming a ghost town by the beginning of the 20th century. It enjoyed a brief renaissance as a winter sports tourist destination in the 1930s, but was transferred to the care of the United States Forest Service following World War II. Today, visitors can explore the National Register of Historic Places-listed ghost town and its spectacularly-preserved structures, including its meticulously laid-out city streets and historic courthouse.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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