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The town of Redstone, Colorado, has a fascinating history rooted in the industrial era of the American West:
Founding and Purpose (Late 1890s-1903): Redstone was founded as a meticulously planned company town in Pitkin County by industrialist John Cleveland Osgood, president of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company (CF&I).
A "Utopian" Experiment: Osgood envisioned Redstone as a model community, practicing what was called "welfare capitalism" to provide high-quality living for his coal miners and coke workers in an attempt to prevent unionization.
Workers lived in well-built cottages, and bachelor workers stayed in the Redstone Inn—all with modern amenities like indoor plumbing and electricity, which was rare at the time.
The town also featured a clubhouse, theater, school, and communal garden.
The Coal and Coke Industry: The town's purpose was to support the nearby Redstone Coke Ovens, which processed high-grade coking coal from the Coal Basin mines to produce coke for Osgood's steel mill in Pueblo.
Osgood's Estate: Osgood built the opulent, 42-room Tudor-style mansion, Cleveholm Manor (now known as Redstone Castle), overlooking the town and river.
Decline and Preservation:
The coke operation was short-lived, with mines and ovens closing around 1909 due to transportation costs and Osgood's loss of control over CF&I. The town was nearly abandoned by 1911.
Osgood later returned to redevelop Redstone as a resort, but his death and the Great Depression hindered the plan.
Redstone survived becoming a ghost town, and many of its original historic buildings, including the Inn and Castle, have been restored. It is now home to a small arts community and relies on tourism.
Historic Status: The Redstone Historic District is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places as a rare, intact example of a company town in Colorado.
The history of Redstone is a microcosm of the industrialization, boom, and bust of the West, with the natural beauty of the Crystal River Valley ultimately saving it from total ruin.
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© 2002 by Gail Meyer Kilgore for the benefit of the USGenWeb® Project.
A
big thank you is in order for the previous county coordinators,
Gail
Meyer Kilgore,
Charles
Barnum,
Rod
Skinner,
and
Vikki Gray!
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