1951 Berthoud Pass Continental Divide Sign Photograph #CB-94V
Brief Description
Two women and a young girl are pictured in this photograph from Berthoud Pass in 1951. The Continental Divide sign can be seen in the background along with part of the stone Continental Divide marker that was added here in 1929.
Info
- Date: March 1951
- Photographer: Unknown
- Medium: Photograph
- Size: 4 1/2" x 2 3/4"
- ID: CB-94V
- Acquisition Date: March 2024
- Repository: Coloradotopia Archives
Scanned with basic cropping, no enhancements.
Image use restricted.
Image Dating Comments
This photograph has a date of “3-51” written in pen on the backside.
Backside Scan
Full Scan
Comments & Discussion
While it is too blurry to read, the word “Colorado” can still be identified on the bottom-left of this Continental Divide sign. This would have been for the “Colorado State Highway Department”, rather than the “Colo. Dept. of Highways”, which was the text used after 1953.
This image was purchased along with CB-94H.
This was a popular spot for photos throughout the 1900s. This was a top spot for Denver skiers, and this parking area could get very crowded on the weekends. You can see a small sign in the background here in 1951 asking everyone to keep the lane in front of the signs open.
Here is what it used to look like on busy days here…
Keeping this pass open through the winter snowstorms was first accomplished in the 1930s using rotary snowplows and hardy work crews. By the 1950s, most of Colorado’s major mountain passes were kept open through the winter. The list of passes that opened and closed during the winter in 1951 looked a lot like the list today.
Condition, Aging & Authenticity: This photograph’s condition is similar to that of its partner, CB-94H. There is still a glossy surface, but it has small marks and small imperfections. Mild browning of some edges can be seen on the backside. There is very little fading of the ink-printed number “94”, and no fading or oxidation of the handwritten date. The photograph has a delicate waved edge that is mostly undamaged.
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.
