Henry Stein '30 Contributes Colorado Span

Henry Stein '30 doesn't stop at half measures when it comes to improving the environment. Consider his gift of a bridge and a foot trail plus land easements to Pitkin (Colorado) County.

The bridge across Roaring Fork River for hikers, equestrians, and cross country skiers was officially opened this winter. It was built in 1890 in another location and moved to Henry's land this past fall through combined community work.

Henry, who has made previous donations of land to the U.S. Forest Service and the County Parks Association, has also purchased a former transformer station and plans to build the Aspen Sculpture Center there this spring.

Wife Marge Stein was the ribbon cutter at opening ceremonies attended by city and county officials, and Henry in referring to the bridge and to the area in general said, "It is concrete evidence of the bright future we face. The bridge as such is important not for its usefulness or its attractiveness or its price; rather, it represents the positive as opposed to the negative, the encouragement as opposed to the restrictive, the happy as opposed to the grim."

He added, "I thank the skilled workers with their heavy machinery who moved the span from Basalt and entered into the idea of making a heavy job fun. I finally thank my wife. Marge, who heard me conceive the project and considered me out of my mind but never quite said so."

The footbridge he gave for skiers andhikers is also convenient for leaning, asdemonstrated by 1930's Henry Stein.