ORIGINAL WPA NATIONAL PARK POSTERS

Fort Marion National Monument. Circa Jul - Aug 1939

 

Although the Works Progress Administration (WPA) program undertaken by the Western Museum Laboratories (WML) created thousands of silkscreened posters between 1938 and 1941, only about 40 park posters and a couple of others are known to survive. They are rare and iconic symbols. 

This poster for Fort Marion National Monument (now Castillo de San Marcos National Monument), features the fort’s exterior walls reflected in the water of the moat, under a cloudy blue sky.

 

As a historic site, the poster doesn’t feature the Ranger Naturalist Service banner. It also doesn’t list any visitor services. Text is limited to Fort Marion National Monument St. Augustine, Florida in the lower left corner and United States Department of the Interior National Park Service across the top. This keeps the fort and its reflections in the water as the focus. It’s also unique as the only WML park poster without a stylized DOI seal (Department of Interior).

 

Only two surviving examples of this poster are known: one at the Library of Congress and the other in a private collection

 

Our sources of information, research and archival poster image included the Library of Congress, from the museum collections of the Parks, as well as from The National Park Service Archivist.

 

Our Giclee prints are created to look like the original, as if you wandered into a vintage store and saw it hanging on the wall with an aged patina that only the vestige of time can impart.

 

We lightly restore and enhance the images so that their essence is evoked for display in your home, office, mountain cabin, or lake house.

 

We print the entire image as it was created many years ago. That means we also reproduce the artworks aged patina, subtle imperfections, and signs of aging.

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Heritage Prints preserves America's visual history through museum-quality reproductions of rare historical prints. We carefully restore and reproduce prints from the historic Buffalo River Library collection and other prestigious institutions, maintaining their authentic character while making them accessible to contemporary homes.

Each print carries forward its own journey - not a mass-produced replica but a faithful representation of American moments captured in time. From sporting life to rural traditions, these prints connect today's homes to authentic American experiences.

Our Heritage Prints honor the time-worn character that only decades can create. We preserve the yellowed paper patina, subtle corner creases, and marks and thumbtack holes where these pieces once hung - all elements that give historical prints their authentic voice.

Unlike typical reproductions that sanitize imperfections, we deliberately maintain these marks of time. The subtle aging, texture variations, and authentic patina make each Heritage Print a window to America's past rather than just a picture on your wall.

Each Heritage Print is made to order, ensuring exceptional detail and lasting beauty. Your museum-quality Giclée print arrives with a certificate of authenticity and origin story, connecting you to its unique heritage.

We use Hahnemühle fine art paper, an ultra premium 310gsm German Etching – 100% α-cellulose paper with a distinct textured surface. Its premium matt inkjet coating meets the highest industry standards for density, color gamut, and image sharpness while preserving the feel of genuine art paper.

Our premium water-based inks produce colors independently verified to last 100+ years when displayed properly.

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We begin with authentic historical prints from our Buffalo River Library and collaborate with museums and prestigious institutions to obtain archival scans. Our careful restoration maintains each piece's essence - enhancing visibility while preserving the authentic aged character that makes these prints special.

Our Heritage Prints look and feel like discovering an original in a vintage store - with time-earned patina that can't be manufactured. We print the entire image as it was created many years ago, preserving the artwork's character, imperfections, and signs of its journey through time.

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Frame specifications:

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