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Sun Valley
Antikbar Small poster vintage travel poster for the Sun Valley ski resort in Idaho. The poster was created by artist William Willmarth around the 1950s and was part of a major advertising campaign by the Union Pacific Railroad to promote their newly established resort.
Poster Information

Location: Sun Valley, Idaho, USA
Artist: William (Kenneth L.) Willmarth
Year: Circa 1950s
Commissioned by: Union Pacific Railroad, which owned and operated the resort from its opening in 1936 until 1964
Style: The illustration depicts a couple on the snow surrounded by colorful skis, capturing the glamorous, European-style resort experience that Union Pacific aimed to market

Historical Context
The Union Pacific Railroad, under the direction of chairman Averell Harriman, opened Sun Valley in December 1936 as North America's first destination ski resort to boost passenger rail ticket sales. A highly effective publicity campaign, masterminded by Steve Hannagan, attracted Hollywood celebrities like Ernest Hemingway, Clark Gable, and Marilyn Monroe, quickly cementing Sun Valley's reputation as a glamorous winter playground. The resort is also notable as the birthplace of the world's first modern chairlift, an innovation developed by a Union Pacific engineer using technology adapted from banana conveyor systems.
Sun Valley (Poster)