Chris Cassatt
“Old bridge moved to new home here,” declared The Aspen Times on Sept. 22, 1977. “Pitkin County this week moved an old highway bridge from Carbondale to the Rio Grande property where it will ultimately form a trail link to the Holy Cross and old hospital buildings. The bridge was just west of the current Highway 82 exit at Carbondale. (The bridge was placed) on two flat-bed trucks — one going forward and one backward — and took the long way to Aspen through Emma and the Snowmass Valley. Trees, fences and telephone lines posed hazards at several locations. (County Manager George) Ochs said the bridge was owned by a private person who bought it from Garfield County about ten years ago, hoping to make it into a house. It turned out to be too big and wouldn’t fit on his property, Ochs said. The owner then wanted to make it a restaurant over the river. He got Garfield County permission, but couldn’t get access from the landowners on the riverbanks. Pitkin County bought the bridge last fall and got permission from the city council to move it to the Rio Grande property as a trail link.” This image shows the bridge, which was built in Denver in 1911, being moved through Aspen in 1977.
This photo and more can be found in the Aspen Historical Society archives at aspenhistory.org.