The Redstone Historic District is located in the unincorporated community of Redstone in western Pitkin County, Colorado, in the United States. It encompasses the original company town built by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company (CF&I) for the coal miners it employed. In 1989, the district was recognized as a historic district and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Location and Geography
The district is formed by the original townsite of Redstone, a strip of land running north–south along the Crystal River for approximately one and a half miles (2.4 km). Redstone Boulevard (also County Route 3), lined with some of its original Llewellyn Westinghouse cast-iron streetlamps, serves as the backbone of the district. The district covers 493 acres (200 hectares), making it the largest of the four historic districts in Pitkin County. It includes 32 buildings, three structures, and one object. The district's western boundary follows either State Highway 133 or the east bank of the Crystal River. On either side of Redstone, mountains rise to summits over 12,000 feet (3,700 m), with slopes largely part of the White River National Forest.
History
Background and Founding
Redstone was established in the late 19th century by industrialist John Cleveland Osgood, president of Colorado Fuel and Iron. Osgood spent lavishly to create quality housing for miners and their families, as well as various public buildings, in an effort to forestall unionization. Architect Theodore Boal designed simple yet attractive structures by adapting various Victorian architectural styles.
The town was built between 1900 and 1903. Almost 250 coke ovens were constructed nearby to process coal from the Coalbasin area, making it the largest such facility in the state at the time. The workers were predominantly immigrants from Eastern Europe, while the miners were typically longtime Colorado residents.
The Company Town
Osgood's vision for Redstone was inspired by company towns in New England and Pullman, Illinois. He spent nearly $5 million (equivalent to approximately $186 million in modern dollars) to build the community. The planned townsite included two main streets: River Road (now Redstone Boulevard) and Hill Road. Amenities included electricity, provided by a company-built hydroelectric plant on the Crystal River, and running water—luxuries unknown in previous mining towns.
Eighty-four cottages were constructed, along with a 40-room dormitory (later the Redstone Inn), a company store, a school with one of the earliest kindergartens in Colorado, a clubhouse with recreational facilities, and a park. The community attracted national attention, with The New York Times calling it "the most beautiful town in Colorado" and nicknaming it "The Ruby of the Rockies."
Decline
By 1904, CFI was encountering financial difficulties due to strikes elsewhere and heavy investment in its Pueblo plant. Osgood was forced to surrender control of the company to interests controlled by the Gould and Rockefeller families. In 1908, CFI decided to consolidate all coke production at Pueblo, shutting down the Redstone ovens and the Coalbasin mines the following year. Families left in a hurry, and Redstone dwindled to a caretaker population of fewer than a dozen.
Just 14 people lived in Redstone by 1941. During World War II, many of its larger buildings—including the school, clubhouse, and Big Horn Lodge—were demolished and sold for salvage. The community's decline stopped in 1942 when another company resumed coal mining in the Coalbasin area, but the loss of original buildings continued.
Preservation and Revival
After the resurgence of Aspen as a resort in the late 20th century, Redstone began to gain residents and attract tourists who valued its historic buildings. The Redstone Inn was restored and reopened, and Osgood Castle was opened for tours. Many of the remaining cottages have been restored, making Redstone one of the few intact company towns remaining in Colorado.
Significant Contributing Properties
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General Store (292 Redstone Boulevard): A one-and-a-half-story timber-frame building with clipped gables, shingle and shiplap siding, and diamond-paned windows. It was the best-equipped company store at any CFI location after Pueblo.
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North Gatekeeper's Lodge (58 Redstone Boulevard): A frame building on a rusticated stone foundation, topped by a cross-gabled roof with decorative vergeboards and broad overhanging eaves.
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Osgood Castle (also known as Cleveholm or Redstone Castle): Osgood's 42-room Tudor Revival mansion designed by Theodore Boal. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, the first property in Pitkin County to be so recognized. Guests included King Leopold II of Belgium, John D. Rockefeller, and President Theodore Roosevelt.
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Power Plant (off Highway 133): The deteriorating ruins of the hydroelectric power plant, a rare early example of a power generation station.
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Redstone Inn (82 Redstone Boulevard): A two-and-a-half-story Tudor building with a distinctive clock tower, originally built as a dormitory for unmarried workers. It was listed on the National Register in 1980.
Designation
The Redstone Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 19, 1989, under reference number 89000934. It is also part of the "Historic Resources of Redstone" and "Mining Industry in Colorado" multiple property submissions.
