1955 Berthoud Pass Continental Divide Sign Photograph #CB-V25B
Brief Description
A woman stands between the Continental Divide historical marker and road sign at the top of Berthoud Pass during the 1950s.
Info
- Date: September 7, 1955
- Photographer: Unknown
- Medium: Photograph
- Size: 3 6/8" x 4 1/16"
- ID: CB-V25B
- Acquisition Date: February 2024
- Repository: Coloradotopia Archives
Scanned with basic cropping, no enhancements.
Image use restricted.
Image Dating Comments
This slide was purchased for the archive along with another photo of the same woman on Loveland Pass. That photo has an ink-stamped date of Sept. 7, 1955. In that photo, she is wearing the same dress and same shoes, has the same purse, and her hair looks very close to identical. It has been assumed that these photos were taken on the same day.
Comments & Discussion
The sign shown here is different than previous signs in a few ways. Most notably, it has the county names added on top as two lines, and the size of the arrows has increased. The name of the highway department has also been removed from the bottom of the sign, and instead of that text, there is a solid border.
The closeup shown below gives a detailed look at the prominent vandals of the day.
What About the Cars?
Can you name the cars in the background? Feel free to contribute.
Far left: That’s a 1955 Oldsmobile 88. This can be differentiated from the 1954 model by looking at the shape of the bumper above the license plate. In 1956, the 88 started using a newer, wider emblem on the back.
Condition, Aging & Authenticity: The photo is warped on the right side. Cracking and spidering of the surface can be seen in the warped area. The backside is covered with remnants from the album page it was once fixed to.
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.
