People come to Marble for a variety of reasons. In summer months, oftentimes to the dismay of many residents, innumerable OHV enthusiasts flock to the town to enjoy the thrills and spectacular beauty of the Lead King Loop and the six miles of rugged, single-lane jeep road that leads to the iconic Crystal Mill, the most photographed man-made landmark in Colorado. Some come to pig out at the only eatery, the popular Slow Groovin’ BBQ restaurant; others to nibble on the network of awe-inspiring hiking trails which encircle the picturesque town. Then there is the historic Mill Site park.
Tucked away on the banks of the Crystal River, the 28-acre site has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979, a powerful draw for anyone interested in mining and historic preservation. Nestled in this riverside sanctuary stand the remains of the original Colorado Yule Marble Company’s finishing mill. Constructed between 1907 and 1910, the 1,300-foot-long mill remained in operation for almost half a century. Considered by many to be the finest stone in its class, marble from the Yule quarry was chosen as the material for the entire exterior of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., and for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.
During its peak boom period between 1912 and 1915, the population of Marble reached approximately 1,500. Today, with the number of residents hovering around 130, what remains of the mill consists of several imposing crane pillars measuring 10 feet by 10 feet at their base and 20 feet high, and two magnificent, free-standing
walls 40 feet long and 30 feet high, all constructed from blocks of Yule marble.
Yet the town’s greatest asset is also its greatest liability. The last formal survey of the mill site was conducted by Alpine Archaeological Consultants, Inc. who produced a 76-page report. But that was almost a quarter of a century ago in 2002. Since then, the Town’s limited finances have only allowed for general maintenance and upkeep of the site. Concerned about the precarious-looking structures and danger they might pose to the visiting public, the Board of Trustees wrote to Colorado’s Department of Local Affairs in November 2024 requesting a grant of $5,000 (to match the Town’s budgeted sum) to commission a qualified engineering firm to conduct a safety assessment of the park.
Mark Beckler, a resident of Hermit’s Hideaway immediately to the west of Marble and principal of Carbondale-based Sopris Engineering LLC, kindly donated his time to conduct an initial walkthrough of the site with Mayor Ryan Vinciguerra and Town Administrator Ron Leach.
Fast forward to the Town’s regular meeting of the Board of Trustees in June 2026, and enter Natalie Feinberg Lopez of Aspen-based Built Environment Evolution — “Preserving the past, protecting tomorrow.” A 27-year veteran architectural conservator and technical consultant in the field of historic preservation and heritage planning, Feinberg Lopez currently serves as a director of Climate Heritage Network International. She came to the meeting armed with impressive aerial footage, shot by a drone, of the mill site and a detailed proposal for its preservation. Accompanied by Beckler, Feinberg Lopez laid out a three-part preservation plan for the historic site. Phase one of the proposal comprises a general assessment of the area and its remaining structures at a cost of $40,000 to be 90% funded by the State Historical Fund (SHF) and 10% by the Town of Marble. The board immediately made a motion to commit $4,000 to the project, of which all were in favor.
With great enthusiasm, Feinberg Lopez described the second step of the proposal, a three-month construction phase to stabilize the dangerous structures in the park and address as many elements of deterioration as its proposed budget of $250,000 will allow, 75% of which would be borne by the SHF with the Town on the hook for the remaining $62,500.
Should the quarry agree to donate the necessary building materials, this sum may be significantly reduced. The project in its entirety could take several years to complete at a rough estimate of $2.5 million. Given Marble’s current cash position of $550,000, a significant fundraising effort will be required to proceed beyond stage two. For now, Leach offered some reassurance that the Town is sufficiently insured should one of the Mill Site Park’s towering edifices collapse and cause injury.