Brief Description
This image comes from a Kodak Kodachrome slide. It shows the Loveland Pass Continental Divide sign, mid-century at the top of the pass. The set of signs shown here was located on the southern side of the road.
One of the things that stands out most is the ‘Norway Mt. Chair Lifts’ text on the sign in the back. The Norway double lift was a chairlift at Arapahoe Basin at one point.
Info
- Date: Circa 1948-1954
- Photographer: Patrick
- Medium: Kodachrome Slide
- Size: 35mm
- ID: CL-P7
- Acquisition Date: April 2024
- Repository: Coloradotopia Archives
Scanned by Coloradotopia with basic cropping.
There are no known copyrights on the original slide’s image. The slide can be reliably dated to pre-1964. The slide is marked “All Rights Reserved” by Patrick (no last name given), but extensive searching of copyright databases has yielded no results that suggest that this copyright was renewed after 1964 as was required. The scanned image is property of Coloradotopia.com.
Image Dating Comments
This image was likely captured in 1952, but can only be dated to sometime between 1948 and 1954 right now.
The white signs in this photo were erected sometime between 1948 and 1952. That photo from 1952 shows the same rear sign with the smaller sign hanging below it. The archive also has a photo from 1954 which has a different sign hanging below the rear sign, so it is known that this image was captured sometime prior to that one from 1954.
The amount of erosion in the background gives another clue as to the age of this image. This hints towards the period around 1952.
Comments & Discussion
Images of this set of signs are far from rare. Loveland Pass and Berthoud Pass are two of the most photographed passes over the divide in Colorado, and the post-war period was a time when recreation into the mountains was booming. This archive has several images of these signs which have not yet been dated to a specific year, but can generally be dated to the early 1950s. However, photos including the rear sign with the hanging status sign below it are not common.
The Arapahoe Basin and Norway Mt. Chair Lifts sign in the background here is also notable for its signpost. This is almost certainly the same post which was used for a Continental Divide sign earlier in the century. That sign was installed by the US Forest Service (see here). The same signpost was likely kept in place while the signs on it were changed.
Condition, Aging & Authenticity: The slide is in generally good condition upon arrival into the archive. It is possible that the slide was cleaned sometime before arrival. The side with the red border has 1 corner of the cardboard starting to separate mildly. The labeled side, opposite of the red border side, has very slight discoloration and wear around the edges, suggesting genuine aging.
The photo below has been dated to the fall of 1952. This shows these signs from the backside, as well as the high altitude research center that was built here around this time period.
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.
