This welcome sign was designed by Nick Aceto and features basalt rock cut as columnar tiles that are set vertically. The sign is 12 feet tall by 8 feet wide (3.6m by 2.4m) with a stainless steel sign in "Rockwell" typeface. The town logo reflects the nearby rivers which host world-class trout fishing. The sign is set in a landscaped roundabout at Basalt Avenue near Memorial Park. (excerpted from the Aspen Times)
"Basalt began as a railroad town and was known as Aspen Junction until 1895, when the name was changed to Basalt. DowntownThis name was taken from the basaltic rock formation of Black Mountain (now known as Basalt Mountain) located to the north of the town. The original settlement was actually called Fryingpan Town and was located on the south side of the Fryingpan River, near the old charcoal kilns; portions of which are still visible.
However, in 1887, the railroad established a new town site on the north side of the Fryingpan River, and the residents of the old town relocated to it, leaving the original town that eventually disappeared. Basalt was officially incorporated during the summer of 1901. Since that time, the town has gone through numerous changes and expansions.
History of the Basalt Kilns Basalt Kilns
The construction of the kilns dates back to the early 1880's, a time of great change and dynamic growth in the Roaring Fork, Fryingpan, and neighboring river valleys. Towns were being formed, prospering, and disappearing throughout the region. Aspen's population was 900 in 1880, and incorporated in 1881.
Other towns of this period included Independence, Crystal City, Marble, Ashcroft, and Schofield. In the early 1880s, the lower end of the Fryingpan Valley, which had been within the Ute Reservation, was staked out with mining claims and homesteaders quickly moved into the area near the confluence of the Roaring Fork and Fryingpan Rivers.
Increased Charcoal Demands Fueled Development
Demand for charcoal from smelters in Aspen resulted in the construction of seven kilns in 1882 near the confluence of the Roaring Fork and Fryingpan Rivers. The availability of fuel in the form of Pinion trees was one of the prime reasons for the selection of this site. Horses and mules were used at that time to haul the charcoal produced up to Aspen. A settlement of tents and shacks grew around the kilns which were originally referred to as Fryingpan Kilns. The name was soon changed to Fryingpan, and the community at one time included several tent saloons and a tent store. A halfway house for the stage lines was also built during this period and, along with the kilns, are the only remnants of this early community that exist.
Kiln Construction
The kilns stand approximately 25 feet tall and 25 feet in diameter. They are constructed of unfired brick and native stone. They appear to have been constructed with standard mortar and were treated with an outside coating for protection from the elements.
The kilns have upper and lower openings typical for this type of processing. It is thought that the two openings were used for ventilation and for the addition of fuel and the removal of the charcoal produced. Similar kilns were also constructed in Aspen, the Crystal Valley, and later at Sellars up the Fryingpan Valley. The ruins of the kilns at Sellars can still be observed; however, the Fryingpan Kilns (remaining largely intact) are the best regional examples of this early industry.
Aspen Junction
With the development of the railroad and the Colorado Midland Railroad Company, the Town of Aspen Junction was formed in 1887 across the Fryingpan River from the kilns. Aspen Junction was later renamed Basalt, and most of the residents of Fryingpan quickly relocated there. The discovery of coal near Carbondale and the arrival of the railroad allowed the smelters in Aspen to utilize coke from ovens in Cardiff (near Glenwood Springs) and the Crystal River Valley.
The combination of these factors resulted in the disappearance of the early community of Fryingpan and the kilns ceased to operate, In the intervening years the kilns have been used by local ranchers to store machinery and even shelter livestock.
On August 25, 1993 the Fryingpan Kilns at Arbaney Park were designated as a Local Historic Landmark." (from (
visit link) )
"What is Basalt?
Basalt is a dark-colored, fine-grained, igneous rock composed mainly of plagioclase and pyroxene minerals. It most commonly forms as an extrusive rock, such as a lava flow, but can also form in small intrusive bodies, such as an igneous dike or a thin sill. It has a composition similar to gabbro. The difference between basalt and gabbro is that basalt is a fine-grained rock while gabbro is a coarse-grained rock.
Earth's Most Abundant Bedrock
Basalt underlies more of Earth's surface than any other rock type. Most areas within Earth's ocean basins are underlain by basalt. Although basalt is much less common on continents, lava flows and flood basalts underlie several percent of Earth's land surface. Basalt is a very important rock.
Basalt on Moon and Mars
Basalt is also an abundant rock on the Moon. Much of the Moon's surface is underlain by basaltic lava flows and flood basalts. These areas of the Moon are known as "lunar maria." Large areas of the Moon have been resurfaced by extensive basalt flows which may have been triggered by major impact events. The ages of lunar maria can be estimated by observing the density of impact craters on their surface. Younger basalt flows will have fewer craters.
Olympus Mons is a shield volcano on Mars. It, like most other volcanic features on Mars, was formed from basaltic lava flows. It is the highest mountain on Mars and is the largest known volcano in our solar system." (from (
visit link) )