Box Canon Sign

Box Canon Sign. . , Box Canon Sign History , In 1903, the city (of Ouray) decided Box Canon Park should be lighted. Community interest in the park was increasing. A year previously, the Ouray Board of Trade had requested $500 from the city to be used in beautifying the grounds. On December 7, 1908, Mayor Charles A. Sperber presented to the City Council the idea of erecting an electric sign at Box Canon Park. At the next meeting the Mayor described in more detail his proposal for a sign. It would contain the words, “Box Canon” and would be 35 feet long and 20 feet high with letter approximately six feet tall and five feet wide. They would be illuminated by 100 incandescent light bulbs. , The proposition met with favor among the councilmen, provided the expense of maintenance would not be too great. The County Commissioners had already expressed a willingness to make an allowance of $125 to pay on the first cost of the sign providing the city would take care of the expense of the maintenance after installation. , In July of 1934, some thirty years after the sign's lights were installed, the Ouray Herald and Plaindealer told of jokesters and vandals active at the Box Canon Sign and Park. Light bulbs were taken from the sign and when turned on it read, “O NO.” Next to the Box Canon Sign was a large star that was lit with blue bulbs at Christmas time for many years. The sign and the star had not been lighted since the 1960s (according to locals). Stories are told of how some of Ouray's young folks removed the light bulbs placing them in a basket and carried them back into town. When their parents discovered the daring escapade, they were promptly ordered to re-climb the cliffs and restore the light bulbs. Severe punishment followed. , , Excerpt from Ouray's Box Canyon Falls and Park History, by Doris H. Gregory, 1983 , The Box Canon Sign , According to the arrangement previously made by Dr. C. A. Sperber, our city mayor turned on the button last Sunday evening at eight o'clock on June 6th and the Box Canon sign was illuminated by the 100 incandescent lights, making the conspicuous and imposing distinguishing mark for the wonderful work of nature. The event was harbingered by a display of fireworks and red fire, lighted on the hill in a few minutes before the light was turned on. This attracted the attention of the people and a large number saw the sign as it became illumined. , , Ouray Herald, June 11, 1909 , Decision to Refurbish the Sign , In May of 2017, a meeting was held consisting of locals to determine the possibility of taking the sign down, repairing it, and returning it to the mountain. The sign had not been maintained or lighted for over sixty years. Of the group who showed for the meeting, only five became the committee, a committee with no name. After several months, the committee became “Five Guys and a Sign” Committee. The five guys included Ralph McCormick, Chairman; Mike Hakola, Louis Fogleman, Glenn Williams, and Tim Walters. Agencies from Ouray to Washington, D. C. had input to the repair of the sign. The City of Ouray owns the sign, the Forestry Service and one private individual own the land. The county, city, state historical society, and Department of the Interior all had input. The City of Ouray was approached with the “Five Guys” request to totally fund the repair of the sign. All agencies involved answered with an approval. The sign was taken down and repair began in late 2017. , The sign was repaired, lighted, and replaced on the mountain on June 26, 2018. Exactly fourteen months after the first meeting of the Five Guys. Much like the 1934 vandalism mentioned above, the newly repaired sign had vandals who stole all the bulbs. Bulbs were replaced within days and the sign remains lighted to this day. , Those who donated funds for the repair and work on the sign are listed on a plaque at the base of the Box Canon sign. It is worth the walk to the sign to see the magnificent beauty of the sign up close. A lot of people were involved with the funding, repair, and lighting of the sign.