1920s Pikes Peak Auto Highway Stamped Souvenir Toll Ticket #PIK-17281
Brief Description
It is fair to say that this ticket was not acquired for the archives because of its condition. This one arrives having been used, with a stamp on the back, and no name written on the front.
The thing that makes this ticket unique is that it has the ticket maker’s name on the front, and a stamp on the back that is different than other stamps that were used on Pikes Peak during this era.
Info
- Date: c. 1920s
- Size: 4 3/16" x 2 7/16"
- ID: PIK-17281
- Acquisition Date: Nov. 2024
- Repository: Coloradotopia Archives
Scanned with no color correction. The actual tone is a bit more of a light blue than the scan shows.
Image use restricted.
Image Dating Comments
Tickets with this color can generally be dated to the early 1920s. A different color (dark yellow) was being used in 1920. A slightly different tan color was being used by 1928. This ticket was likely used sometime between those years. It is a about 1/4″ shorter on the short side than the tickets from 1922.
Comments & Discussion
This ticket was made by Woodward & Tiernan in St. Louis. Other tickets from the era with the same distinctive pattern around the edges are presumed to have come from the same company.
There is a distinctive pattern on the back that almost looks like a security watermark feature. There would have been no need for that since this was a souvenir ticket. The ticket didn’t give you access to the highway. This just proved that you made it to the top.
The stamp on the back of this ticket reads, “The Pikes Peak Auto Highway Co.”
Condition, Aging & Authenticity: There are many small tears in the edges and there is obvious discoloration. The stamp is heavily faded, and the year cannot be read.
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.
