Aspen, city in central Colorado, seat of Pitkin County, on the Roaring Fork River, in the Rocky Mountains, at an elevation of about 2410 m (about 7900 ft). It is a stylish resort, famous for its winter skiing and its summer cultural events. Founded in 1879 by prospectors and named for trees in the area, Aspen was incorporated in 1881. It was a booming silver-mining center until the early 1890s, when the demonetization of silver reduced prices for the metal. The modern resort city was developed after World War II ended in 1945 by Walter P. Paepcke, a Chicago industrialist, who also founded the Aspen Music Festival and the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies in the city. Population 3,678 (1980); 5,049 (1990); 5,914 (2000).
