Ida Chatfield: Aspen's Oldest Unsolved Mystery

In 1886, eighteen-year-old Ida Chatfield disappeared from Aspen, Colorado. Two months later, her body was found in the Roaring Fork River-her death ruled a suicide despite her family's objections. Through primary sources and meticulous research, this narrative reveals Ida's journey from Nebraska pioneer to aspiring Colorado teacher during the silver mining boom. Was her death connected to her friend's suspicious passing? Was she stalked? Or did she tragically slip into the river? Ida's unsolved story illuminates the forgotten struggles of women in the American West.