Folks traveling the Million Dollar Highway into Ouray this winter won’t be able to get photos of the town’s iconic “Switzerland of America” sign that sits perched at a popular overlook.
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The sign was recently taken down because of concerns about its structural integrity, officials said Friday. The sign was leaning on its right side and at risk of falling over the edge of a steep gorge, according to spokesperson Kailey Rhoten. The town’s intention is to refurbish and replace it, changing as little about the design and placement as possible, she said.
That will take several months, however, as the city council must approve a budget for the project and also work with the Colorado Department of Transportation to ensure installation meets the agency’s requirements, Rhoten said.
“It is a very important sign to our community,” she said. “We want to make sure the community knows we are not looking to redo the sign at all. We just want to protect what is existing and refurbish it to the best we can.”
The “Switzerland of America” sign is a landmark beloved by locals and visitors alike. Located on U.S. 550 just south of Ouray, it sits on the edge of an overlook surrounded by mountain peaks, giving credence to the town’s moniker. It is likely one of the most photographed locales in Ouray.
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Despite its popularity, it’s unclear exactly how long the sign has been there. Councilwoman Jenny Hart, whose ancestors moved to Ouray in 1942, said her uncle estimates the sign joined the landscape in the mid-1950s. Representatives from the Ouray County Historical Society could not confirm the date of the sign’s origin, but said it has been there for many decades.
References to Colorado as the “Switzerland of America” date back much further. One travelogue published in 1869 features the catchphrase in its title, “The Switzerland Of America: A Summer Vacation In The Parks And Mountains Of Colorado.” Author Samuel Bowles, however, draws comparisons between the two geographic areas broadly and more holistically. Ouray became incorporated in 1876, the same year Colorado became a state, which was after the travelogue’s publication.
Still, long-timers like Hart and Gail Saunders at the local historical society say Ouray has identified as the Switzerland of America for as long as they can remember. Given the sign bearing that title’s significance in the community, Hart said she is excited to see it get some much-needed TLC in the coming months. “Anything I can do to support the history of Ouray,” she said.
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