Oral History Interview with Stuart Mace, 1991 November 8, 2006, 1919-1960

Item

Identifier: AHS-C79B

Staff Only

Abstract

Stuart Mace describes his family background and education, his love of nature and artistic influences growing up. He describes his many transfers in the army after being drafted in 1941 until he was joined with the 10th Mountain Division. After the war, he describes moving to Aspen and Ashcroft, starting the guest lodge and material used for it. He gives a history of the area and the people who lived there , the difficulties in educating his children from a remote area, movies made using his sled dogs, and his past and future views on the Castle Creek Valley.

Dates

1991 November 8
Digitization: 2006
Coverage: 1919-1960

Digital Repository

Oral History Interview with Stuart Mace

Conditions Governing Access

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Biographical / Historical

He was born March 31, 1919 in Denver, Colo. His father died when Stuart was 4 1/2 years old. He was an only child. During the depression era and he was shuffled around a lot. He first went to live at his English grandmother's home and then at his German grandmother's home. His mother later remarried a German man, Michael Schmidt, who was a skilled mechanic. They moved to Estes Park when he was in high school. They then moved to Littleton where his step-father worked for the Colman Truck Factory. Stuart went to Grinell College to study botany, married Isabel Mace and then was drafted in WWII in 1941. They moved to Aspen in 1948, starting their famous dog sled operation in Ashcroft. They raised their five children Lynn, Alan, Kent, Bruce and Greg at Toklat where he also ran it as a guest lodge, restaurant, and an art and furniture gallery. He was an avid photographer and sold his work at the gallery. Then in 1974 he sold his dogs and started the Malachite Family Farm on the eastern slope of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains in southern Colorado. The farm became a teaching school in 1983 for self-sufficient farming. Stuart passed away in his Toklat home August 4, 1993 due to complications from cancer.

Extent

1 Items ; 60 minutes

Additional Description

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Playback cassette tape: Sony HF 60

Computer Hardware: 3 (total) Intel Celeron 1.8GHz/224 MB RAM PC's (made by PowerSpec), each with a Firewall hard drive (2 made by MicroNet, 1 made by LaCie) and M-Audio Delta Audiophile (internal sound card); External Firewire Hard Drive; Analog Playback Equipment: Nakamichi Dragon, Nakamichi Cassette Deck 1; Analog/Digital Converter: Prism Dream ADA-8XR; Prism Sound Dream AD-2

Basic Map: Nakamichi Dragon -> Analog RCA or XLR -> AD converter -> AES (XLR) -> M-Audio Card -> Software -> External Firewire Drive

General

Title supplied by the Archivist: Anna L. Scott. Interview conducted on November 8, 1991 in Aspen, Co. Accompanied by digital transcript.

Names dicussed in Interview: Charles Mace, Gordon Mace, Michael Schmidt, Dave Stirling, Carl Meltzer, Herbert Bayer, Ted Ryan, Louis Nelson, Greg Mace, Julie Mace, Tom Flynn, Pete Larson, Slim White, Wr. Waterman, Billy Tagert, Frank Royal, Henry Fitzpatrick, Jow Sawyer, Whispering Swede, Doogle Sullivan, Jack Leahy, Mike Gerbaz, Ms. Larsen, Ute Indians.

Place Names discussed in interview: Denver, Littleton, Idaho Springs, Sierra's, Yosemite, Mount Whitney, Mexico, north american Continent, France, Iowa, Norway, Italy, Montana, Europe, Ashcroft, Boulder, Aspen, Meeker, Frying Pan River, Crystal River, Marble, Stillwater, Roaring Fork River, Glenwood, Dillion, Taylor Pass, Sandy Gulch, Estes Park.

Business', Buildings and Organizations dicussed: Denver Post, Tivoli Brewery, Old Inn, Grinell College, Colorado University, Chart House, 10th Mountain Division, Highlands-Bavarian Lodge, Highlands Ranch, The Epicure, Pine Creek Cook House, Washington School, Quarries, Toklat, Trout Mine, Blue Mirror Saloon, Clock and Watch Repair.

Movies Filmed with Stuart's Sled Dogs: "Those Red Heads from Seattle", "Sergeant Preston" TV series, and "Sancho- The Homing Steer".