Berthoud Pass Continental Divide Sign Photograph #CB-430
Brief Description
A sailor and a woman are pictured here next to the Berthoud Pass Continental Divide sign during the 1940s. The weather looks questionable, and the sign has seen better days.
Info
- Date: Circa Mid-1940s
- Photographer: Unknown
- Medium: Photograph
- Size: 2" x 2 3/4"
- ID: CB-430
- Acquisition Date: April 2024
- Repository: Coloradotopia Archives
Scanned with basic cropping, no enhancements.
Image use restricted.
Image Dating Comments
This image is believed to have been captured sometime during the war years, likely towards the end of the war or even perhaps afterwards. This archive has images of a new sign here in 1948, so this photograph’s date can be narrowed down to sometime before then.
Backside
Full Scan
Comments & Discussion
This is one of the smallest photographs in the archives, but the quality and detail is great enough that it can be enlarged here while retaining its clarity. There are two known copies of this photograph.
Other Continental Divide signs in Colorado during this era had warnings of a $25 fine for vandalizing the signs, but they made little or no difference. The Berthoud Pass signs seem to have gotten it the worst.
While the natural flow of water would go to either the Atlantic Ocean or Pacific Ocean from here depending on which side of the divide the rainwater fell on, the Moffat irrigation tunnel had been built by this point. This meant that some of the water that fell on the western side was being diverted to the east in order to serve the Denver area.
Condition, Aging & Authenticity: There is slight darkening of the backside. The number ‘430’ which was printed in ink is now significantly faded. The front’s surface still has a nice reflective coating and no cracking or spidering.
About the Coloradotopia Archives. The Coloradotopia archives hold a large collection of historical images and items that document Colorado’s automobile history in the mountains. You can read more about the Coloradotopia archive project here.
