Description
Step back to the golden age of Florida travel with this reproduction of a vintage “Souvenir Folder of Quaint Key West, Fla.” cover. The original was published by Tichnor Brothers of Boston, whose “Tichnor Quality Views” postcards and souvenir folders were sold to tourists across America in the mid-20th century.
The artwork is pure travel-poster style. Big red and yellow block letters spell out KEY WEST above a long row of concrete arches stretching toward the horizon. Two people in a small red boat drift beneath the viaduct, and a huge yellow sun with orange rays fills the sky. A caption on the right reads “New Highway Built Over the Old Florida East Coast Railway Viaducts.”
That caption tells an important piece of Keys history. Henry Flagler’s Overseas Railroad connected Key West to the mainland in 1912. After the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane wrecked the line, the state rebuilt the route as the Overseas Highway, which opened in 1938 and ran cars over the old railway arches. Souvenir folders like this one promoted the new drive to Key West to a generation of road-trippers.
Details:
- Reproduction print of a vintage Tichnor Brothers souvenir folder cover
- Subject: Key West and the Overseas Highway on the old Florida East Coast Railway viaducts
- Bright, saturated colors with a white border, ready for framing
- Winning bidder also pays shipping costs
All proceeds from this auction benefit the Sloppy Joe’s Foundation and its support for the Key West community.
