San Francisco Santa Fe Railway Travel Poster, Circa 1950

This is a vintage travel poster for the Santa Fe Southern Railway, commissioned to promote travel to the West. This mid-20th century poster is typical of advertising at the time; it is colorfully vibrant, with simple yet strong graphics and minimal text. The poster depicts a striking night scene, with a view of the San Francisco- Oakland Bay Bridge in San Francisco, California. Below the bridge is the text “San Francisco” drawn in rounded red letters. The Santa Fe Southern Railway logo, a blue encircled cross, is also prominently displayed. 

The Santa Fe Railway was founded in 1859. The company helped settle the mid-west in the later part of the 19th Century by selling real estate and farm land sanctioned by Congress. The Santa-Fe Railway became the second transcontinental railway to exist. It also expanded rail travel further than any other line, with north-to-south routes in California. Santa Fe had a robust freight business and extended its transportation reach with a bussing system. 

The Santa Fe Railway produced many destination-driven posters to hang at airports, rail stations, billboards in large cities, and travel agencies.

CONDITION:

Poster is in very good condition. Printed color lithograph, with color original and very vibrant. Paper is healthy, no tears or signs of foxing. Poster has very minimal wrinkles, as expected with age and past display. 

Poster has been artfully and archivally presented in a custom-built black and brushed silver wooden frame. Framed dimensions: 25 3/4" H x 19 3/4" W x 2" D.