Yellowstone Park and the Central and Union Pacific Route to the Marvelous Region of Hot Springs, Geysers, Mud Volcanos, Water Falls, Lakes, Canons and other Picturesque Scenes.

[Omaha?: Union Pacific Railroad, ca. 1880]. 8vo (26.6 cm). 4 pp. circular, 2 engravings.

An unrecorded promotional circular encouraging tourism in Yellowstone National Park by way of the Central and Union Pacific railroads.

This circular promotes the route from San Francisco to Yellowstone via the Central and Union Pacific’s luxurious Pullman Palace sleeping cars, which have just been put into service. “The passenger reads, dines, writes or quietly converses with his neighbor with as little concern as if he were in his own house.” The circular begins with a highly colorful gloss on the famous Park:

To the startling, picturesque and marvelous phenomena of Nature, which attract the scientist, the sight seer, or the traveler seeking pleasure or general information, America contributes its full quota…From orifices of varying dimensions the flames of hell seem to be emitted, and terrified spectators can almost imagine they hear the groans of the damned and the shrieks of demons from the infernal regions. Yellowstone Park is a suburb of the yawning horror, which in ancient days was described as the eternal abode of the wicked of Earth and the rebellious of heaven.

Also covered, somewhat less dramatically, are the “The Stage Journey of 100 Miles” from the railroad to the Park; the numerous wonders of Yellowstone; “Midway Geyser Basin”; “Upper Geyser Basin”; “The Cataracts of the Park”; “The Grand Canon of the Yellowstone”; and “Other Attractive Spots.” An engraving on the first page depicts the “Giantess Geyser in eruption”; the last page features an illustration of Old Faithful.

One perhaps surprising feature of this circular is an appeal to Australian tourists. One of the agents listed on the first page is A.R. Gregory, of Sydney. At several points in the text, Australian tourists are addressed directly:

Upon arriving in San Francisco, Australian and other passengers will do well to call upon D.W. Hitchcock, General Western Passenger agent of the Union Pacific Railway, at No. 1 Montgomery street. He is thoroughly familiar with the railway systems of America and can furnish overland passengers many important hints for their journey…Having spent some time in Australia, he takes special pleasure in extending courtesies to travelers from that continent and from New Zealand.

No copies recorded in OCLC.

CONDITION: Very good; old folds, one light pen stain and light soiling on p. 4, and a few tiny punctures, light chipping at the margins; but overall no losses to the text.