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| Adventures in Victorian Architecture: Victorian Life in Aspen—1890 |
| Victorian Life in Aspen (1890) | ||
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The term Victorian is used to describe things and events that happened during the reign of Queen Victoria in England (1837-1901). This time period was filled with new inventions and much change in politics, society, and culture. Americans adopted Victorian values along with their English friends. As in England, the Victorian era lasted beyond Victoria’s death until World War I began in 1914. Life in Aspen was very different in the Victorian era. People who lived in Aspen dressed differently, did different things, used different forms of transportation, and lived in different houses. By 1893, Aspen had become the third largest town in Colorado, with a population of 10,000. It was an industrial town with machinery and trains spewing noise and pollution from every corner. The hillsides were cleared of trees used for lumber, the streams were polluted, and the noise was non-stop. Over 3,000 men were working in mining operations. Every shift change brought a stream of men travelling in one direction or another. It was a noisy, busy place! There were good schools, a hospital, theaters, boxing matches, professional baseball teams, beautiful mountains and lakes, balls, and numerous other social opportunities. The future looked bright. |
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Victorian fashions were very different. People dressed up more, especially women. They were expected to look very proper and elegant all the time. Little girls and boys too wore fancy dress a lot. They looked like little adults really. | |
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Being a kid in 1890 was different in some ways and the same in others. Kids went to school, played outside, dressed up and enjoyed holidays and parties, loved pets, teased each other, and played many games that kids still play today. However, they did not have TV or fancy bikes and skis. They still built snowmen and skated and skied in the winter though! Families often took outings together to places like Hallam Lake. | |
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This is an early clapboard house. It has a very simple floor plan. Notice that there are very few trees and other buildings around the house. This is very different from Aspen today. | |
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Victorian houses were often cluttered places. They usually had hardwood floors and throw rugs. The parlor contained secretaries, desks, tables, fainting couches, parlor sets, pianos, paintings, and grandfather clocks. | |
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The Victorian era brought with it more complex floor-plans and front arrangements of houses. You can easily see this by comparing the clapboard house above and the house to the left. How are these houses different from yours? Visit Victorian Style |
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