Finding aid for the Standard Oil Company "See Your West" Scenic Views collection 6155

Sue Luftschein
USC Libraries Special Collections
2018 February
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California 90089-0189
specol@usc.edu


Language of Material: English
Contributing Institution: USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: Standard Oil Company "See Your West" Scenic Views collection
creator: Standard Oil Company
Identifier/Call Number: 6155
Physical Description: 1.56 linear feet. 1 box
Date: circa 1940
Abstract: This small collection consists of photographic prints depicting scenes in the western United States and Canada distributed by Standard Oil Company through Standard and Chevron gas stations. Beginning in 1938, the Standard Oil Company began distributing annually 25 collectible photographic prints of scenes in the Western United States and Canada through its Standard and Chevron gas stations. These prints, part of the "See Your West" advertising campaign, were distributed free of charge to motorists. Each print, measuring 9 x 12", was mounted on cards with identifying captions on the bottom, and on the reverse, detailed descriptions of the scene. A tear off section at the end of each mount included information about the program.
Container: 1

Biographical / Historical

Beginning in 1938, the Standard Oil Company began distributing annually 25 collectible photographic prints of scenes in the Western United States and Canada through its Standard and Chevron gas stations. These prints, part of the "See Your West" advertising campaign, were distributed free of charge to motorists. Each print, measuring 9 x 12", was mounted on cards with identifying captions on the bottom, and on the reverse, detailed descriptions of the scene. A tear off section at the end of each mount included information about the program. Standard Oil also offered, for a price, collectible albums in which to store prints and photo mailers to send prints to friends and relatives.

Scope and Contents

This small collection consists of photographic prints distributed by Standard Oil Company through Standard and Chevron gas stations beginning in 1938. This set includes the following: Mount Revelstoke National Park, B.C. (3 copies); Glacier National Park, Montana (2 copies); Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming; San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge; Yosemite National Park, California; Mount Shasta, California (3 copies); Acoma Water Hole, New Mexico; The Alamo, San Antonio, Texas; Lake Tahoe, Nevada-California; Mission San Juan Capistrano, California; Columbia, California (2 copies); Olympic National Park, Washington; Walpi Indian Village, Arizona; The Oregon Coast; Mount Hood, Oregon; and Kings Canyon National Park, California.

Conditions Governing Access

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Preferred Citation

[Box/folder no. or item name], Standard Oil Company "See Your West" Scenic Views collection, Collection no. 6155, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Canada -- Pictorial works
West (U.S.) -- Pictorial works
Photographs
Standard Oil Company -- Archives