It is Texan tradition that each ranch has its own, unique cattle brand used to discern its cows from another ranch's. In this poster, the brands of the Lonestar State are on proud display as an homage to the Texas lands that the Santa Fe Railroad travels through. This mid-century poster is typical of advertising at the time; it is colorfully vibrant, with simplified but bold graphics. The poster depicts the famous livestock and cattle brands of Texas, printed in rows in brown ink, against an orange background. The Santa Fe Southern Railway logo, an encircled cross, is also prominently displayed among the famous brands. This rich design was part of a group of posters commissioned by the Santa Fe Railway to promote travel to the west. 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 farmland sanctioned by Congress. They became the second transcontinental railway to exist and expanded further with north-south routes in California. Santa Fe had a robust freight business and expanded its transportation reach with a bussing system. The company was featured in a 1945 song, "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" sung by Judy Garland for the film "The Harvey Girls." In 1996, the railway merged with the Burlington Northern Railway to form the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway. An Original Vintage Poster which hangs in the Buffalo River library, has been archivally scanned and enhanced. We offer this Museum Quality Giclée Reproduction Print.
