The Hotel Jerome was built in 1889 by Jerome B. Wheeler, a civil war hero, financier from New York and half-owner of Macy’s Department Store. Wheeler and his partners built the hotel in an effort to create a first-class modern hotel that would rival those of Denver and New York. The hotel opened Thanksgiving day in November of 1889 with 92 rooms, 15 bathrooms, hot and cold running water, steam heat, steam laundry, electric lights, a water powered elevator, greenhouse, French chef, livery stable, barber shop and more—all for the room rate of $3 and $4 per night. Mansor Elisha, who leased the building in 1918, generously allowed many of the 10th Mountain Division soldiers, training near Aspen in the 1940s, to sleep in the lobby. Many of these men fell in love with Aspen, and especially with the Aspen Crud, a milkshake laced with bourbon. Many of these men returned to Aspen after WWII to become founders of Aspen’s skiing industry. In 1946, Walter Paepcke bought and renovated the aging hotel, added a swimming pool and painted the exterior white with Bayer blue eyebrows over the windows. The Hotel was completely renovated in Victorian style in 1985 with additional rooms and a ballroom.

^ The Hotel Jerome, 2000. © Ann Hodges photo

^ The Hotel Jerome and lobby as they looked c. 1890		^ In 1946 when Walter Paepcke and Herbert Bayer renovated the Jerome, the natural red brick and peachblow sandstone were painted white; later Bayer Blue eyebrows were added above the arched windows.