1946 Manuscript Draft Edition Ad of the Union Pacific Route to Colorado

This is a c. 1946 manuscript draft edition of an advertisement promoting Union Pacific rail service from Chicago, Illinois to Denver, Colorado on the Union Pacific Streamliner 'City of Denver'. A picturesque manuscript view of a mountain valley is situated on the left, with 'It's Colorado' written above. The text of the ad is on the right, lauding the ease of traveling overnight by rail from Chicago to Denver. A sketch of a fly fisherman standing in a clear Colorado river sits just below this text. Along the bottom is a wonderful illustration of a steam locomotive next to an outline map of the United States featuring the routes the Union Pacific serves and the dotted lines of those states. The Union Pacific seal is placed at the bottom of the map, with the slogan 'The Progressive Union Pacific Railroad' pasted along the bottom.

Publication History

We have been able to locate a published version of this map that is part of the collection at Duke University. There are several notable differences between this preliminary mock-up and the printed version. For example, a radically changed version of the view is present, as is a changed version of the fisherman in the river. The map is much more detailed, with each of the states being labeled and much less emphasis being placed on the locomotive. In the printed version, a Union Pacific Streamliner, one of their newest engines, is placed closer to the viewer than one of the older steam locomotives. The print version of this ad was published in multiple different publications.