Most anyone entering Snowmass Vil­lage over the years has noticed the roadside sign. It listed the town’s elevation, population, and year of establishment—and then totaled the numbers, a corny little poke at traditional signage. Or not. “What I heard from locals is that it was just a way to practice their math,” quips Snowmass Road Superinten­dent John Baker, who arrived in 1979.

The original sign, made of railroad ties, was erected around 1970, believes Baker. When the ties deteriorated, a redwood ver­sion replaced it. That one got hit by a few cars and sustained some rotting, and was exchanged for a metal sign in 2014.

 After the roundabout was built by the Snowmass Center, the sign, which stood nearby, was removed. But in 2016, the town’s arts advisory committee set out to resurrect the former landmark.

A new sign went up this year in a new location by the Rodeo Lot (to better accom­modate shutterbugs). The year the town was established (1967) has been changed to year of incorporation (1977), and the eleva­tion now indicates the front doors of town hall. Best of all, in a nod to inclusivity, the number of registered dogs was added.

Thanks to interchangeable cedar slats, the sign can be updated as needed. Says Assistant to the Town Manager Travis El­liott, “We could change it to registered cats someday.”