Here are some more Fred Harvey postcards from my collection. The first is from the linen era, meaning it was probably published in the 1930s, and shows the Spanish Peaks in south central Colorado. These mountains were visible from Santa Fe passenger trains that passed through southwest Colorado in daylight, which–in 1937 at least–included the Super Chief and Chief but not the California Limited.
Click image to download a PDF of this postcard.
The Santa Fe route was southeast of the Spanish Peaks; the Rio Grande had a route on the northwest side of the peaks that is now used by the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad. This postcard is a rather tame view of the peaks, possibly because the colorist had never actually seen them in person.
Click image to download a PDF of this postcard.
The other three postcards today are from the chrome era, meaning they were probably published in the 1950s or early 1960s. The first shows a little boy with his feet apparently dangling over the edge of the Grand Canyon, raising the question, “What were his parent’s thinking?” I haven’t been to this particular spot, but I suspect the overhang was not as precarious as might be imagined.
Click image to download a PDF of this postcard.
This one also seems startling, not just “isn’t he afraid of falling” but also “how did he climb up there?”
Click image to download a PDF of this postcard.
Finally, a photo taken from the safety of the front porch of Hermit’s Rest, a building designed for the Santa Fe by Mary Colter.