Rainier National Park - Vintage Poster [circa 1925]

Poster published by Brown & Bigelow about 1925.
Size is about 30" x 40"
Originals in good condition are rare.

History ...

The Northern Pacific Railway (NP) was a transcontinental railroad that operated across the northern tier of the western United States from Minnesota to the Pacific Coast. It was approved by Congress in 1864 and given nearly 40 million acres (160,000 km2) of land grants, which it used to raise money in Europe for construction. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in western Montana on Sept. 8, 1883. The railroad had about 6800 miles of track and served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin. In addition the company had international branches to Winnipeg, Manitoba, and southeastern British Columbia, Canada. The main activities were shipping wheat and other farm products, cattle, timber and minerals; bringing in consumer goods, transporting passengers; and selling land. The company was headquartered first in Brainerd, Minnesota, then in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It had a tumultuous financial history, and in 1970 it merged with other lines to form the Burlington Northern Railroad. (From Wikipedia)

About the Artist ...

Gustav Wilhelm Krollman (1888 - 1962) was born in Vienna, Austria and trained to be a portrait painter at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. He served as an artillery officer in the Austrian Army during World War I. While serving he painted portraits of members of the general staff of the 12th Army Corps. Before coming to the United States, he studied and travelled in England, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Rumania, and Czechoslovakia. In 1923 he immigrated to the United States and settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota. By the late 1920s he was working for the Northern Pacific Railroad as an artist for the railroad’s promotional travel poster campaign specifically to create posters that would attract visitors to the scenic locations along the rail route.  (From an article written by Linda Andrean and posted online, 2011.)

About the Mountain ...

An Icon on the Horizon - Ascending to 14,410 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier stands as an icon in the Washington landscape. An active volcano, Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.A., spawning six major rivers. Subalpine wildflower meadows ring the icy volcano while ancient forest cloaks Mount Rainier’s lower slopes. Wildlife abounds in the park’s ecosystems. A lifetime of discovery awaits. (From the National Parks Service - Mount Rainier website)

Thank you for stopping by John's Island.