1953 Rabbit Ears Pass Continental Divide Sign Kodachrome Slide #CRA-5318

Brief Description

A woman stands next to a freshly painted sign on top of Rabbit Ears Pass in 1953. This slide sits in the archive as a group of 3 slides whose images were captured a few moments apart from one another.

Info

Scanned with basic cropping, auto white balance and manual color correction.

Image use restricted.

Image Dating Comments

This slide and the other two that are associated with it all have the number “53” written in pen on the top-center of the slide’s mount.

The ‘Colo. Dept of Highways’ was the new name given to the highway department in 1953.

Comments & Discussion

Another slide from this lot of 3 can be seen in this section. The melting snow in these images shows that this was a spring season trip over the pass. That means that these signs were very freshly painted within the previous few months.

The traveler registration box that had been seen here in 1952 is now gone. That would have been located to the right of this set of signs.

Rabbit Ears Pass Continental Divide sign with paved Highway 40 in year 1953

Condition, Aging & Authenticity: There is a significant amount of browning on the front of the slide due to aging. The red border on the backside is also showing significant signs of wear on some of the edges.

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.

Rabbit Ears Pass Signs

Rabbit Ears Pass Continental Divide signs in June 1952

Continental Divide Archives

Berthoud Pass Continental Divide sign in 1963

All Coloradotopia Archives

Monarch Pass Continental Divide signs with the Hermit of Arbor Villa