Wheeler Museum, Aspen Colorado

You can get a taste of Victorian high life at the Queen Anne-style Wheeler-Stallard House Museum, which displays memorabilia collected by the Aspen Historical Society. The museum is located at 620 West Bleeker Street in Aspen, Colorado. Hours of operation vary, so it is best to contact them directly. Admission is $6 adults, $5 seniors, and $3 children 12 and younger.

Silver baron Jerome B. Wheeler built this Queen Anne-style brick home in 1888. The home's steeply pitched roofs, dormers, and gables have made it a landmark in Aspen's West End neighborhood. Despite Wheeler's plans, his wife Harriet Macy Valentine Wheeler refused to leave their mansion in Manitou Springs, Colorado, so the family never lived in this historic home.

In 1905, Edgar and Mary Ella Stallard moved into the house, eventually purchasing it in 1917. The Stallard family resided in the home for forty years. The house was last served as the residence of the Aspen Institute's president before the Aspen Historical Society purchased it in 1969.

The exterior of the home was restored to its appearance in the heady days of silver mining. Today, the museum hosts exhibits which describe Aspen's history from Ute culture through the mining rush, and from railroads and ranching to the founding of the skiing industry.

Reservations are only needed if you intend on bringing a large group to the Wheeler/Stallard Museum. The home's grounds are beautifully maintained and are a popular choice for many special events, weddings and parties. Walking tours are also offered from the Wheeler/Stallard Museum.