Monarch Pass Continental Divide Sign Archive
This archive contains images of the Continental Divide signs on Monarch Pass. The collection contains photographs, slides, postcards and a handful of digital-only photographs. The purpose of this section is to create a historical resource that can be used for dating other photographs.
About the Coloradotopia Archives. The Coloradotopia archives hold a large collection of historical images that document Colorado’s auto history in the mountains. You can read more about the Coloradotopia archive project here.
c. 1920-'25
This early photograph from the Old Monarch Pass route belongs to the Denver Public Library.
- Photographer: Harry H Buckwalter
- Archive ID: CHS-B1894
c. 1940s-'50s
This image has been scanned from an unused Sanborn postcard in the Coloradotopia archives. This shows the old route over the pass, with the newer Continental Divide signs barely visible at the crest.
- Photographer: Harold Sanborn
- Archive ID: CMO-W-1147
1939
That’s not a mistake… that really is a Vail Pass sign on top of Monarch Pass in 1939. Read the details page to find out why this was here.
- Photographer: Harold Sanborn
- Archive ID: CMO-W-1580
c. Early 1940s
This is one of the earlier images in the archives from the new summit location. This image is scanned from an unbranded postcard in the archives.
- Archive ID: CMO-ECOLO33
c. 1940s
A man and his children pose next to the Continental Divide sign and a 1938 Studebaker Commander sometime during the early 1940s.
- Archive ID: CMO-697J
c. 1940s
The Hermit of Arbor Villa, a local character, is seen posing here next to the signs on Monarch Pass.
- Archive ID: CMO-X-1358
c. 1940s
A well-dressed man holds a snowball on the Continental Divide. This slide is related to the next slide (CMO-321VB).
- Archive ID: CMO-321VA
c. 1940s
Just like the jolly fellow in the previous photo, a woman and girl can be seen holding snowballs on the Continental Divide. These images were likely taken a few moments apart.
- Archive ID: CMO-321VB
c. 1949-'53
A 1949 Pontiac can be seen on the side of the road while a group stands by, watching a woman sign the registration book at the top of Monarch Pass.
- Photographer: Glenn L. Gebhardt
- Archive ID: CMO-M-1218
c. 1949-'53
This image has been scanned from an unused Sanborn postcard that is held in the archives.
- Photographer: Harold Sanborn
- Archive ID: CMO-W-3364
c. 1949-'53
The Monarch Pass Continental Divide sign can be seen here along with a $25 vandalism reward placard that is near his right shoulder.
- Archive ID: CMO-B4A
c. 1949-'53
There are two things that you will see a lot of in the Continental Divide photos from the 1940s and ’50s: snowballs and cigarettes.
- Archive ID: CMO-KC29
c. 1953-'56
This postcard shows the signs on the opposite side of the road from where they had previously been located. Notice that the arrows for each ocean have swapped directions.
- Photographer: Jim Anderson
- Archive ID: CMO-S23732
c. 1954-'55
Another postcard from the early 1950s shows these signs while looking to the east of the pass.
- Photographer: Glenn L. Gebhardt
- Archive ID: CMO-M-1903
c. 1954-'56
Two signs are shown here along with a third sign that has now been added in the middle. This middle signpost would hold different ads and public service announcements.
- Photographer: Glenn L. Gebhardt
- Archive ID: CMO-M-1905
1956
This Kodachrome slide shows three women posing under the Monarch Pass sign with a Smokey the Bear PSA on the sign post next to them.
- Archive ID: CMO-10
c. 1957
The Smokey the Bear ad has been ripped down, but enough of it remains to know that this image post-dates the one which shows the full ad.
- Archive ID: CMO-KCDC-19
1957
This slide is 1 of 2 in the archives that was captured on the same day in 1957. These show the US Forest Service’s newly added sign on top of the pass.
- Archive ID: CMO-31
1963
This image is scanned from a Kodachrome slide that is dated to 1963.
- Archive ID: CMO-812
1965
This slide has an ink-stamped date of July 1965 on it. The tram on top of Monarch Pass would not be constructed until the next year in 1966.
- Archive ID: CMO-J19
1984
A modern road sign marks the top of the pass in 1984. The Monarch Crest visitor center and tram can be seen in the background on the opposite side of Highway 50.
- Archive ID: CMO-A1584
