The resilient spirit of Aspen residents is echoed throughout the history of the city. Early miners created a "Crystal City" among the Rocky Mountains. Ranchers and farmers refused to abandon it during the Depression Years. Visionaries and builders of the 1950s and ’60s understood Aspen's magic and potential and they stuck with it. The hot political climate of today reveals a deep current of willfullness in determining the city's future. The grit and tenacity of Aspenites through every age and generation has proved a vital force in creating a collective destiny.