L. W. Currey, Inc.

(Railroads; Overland Excursions) Judson-Alton Overland Excursions (C. A. Anderson). OCEAN TO OCEAN; OR WEEKLY EXCURSIONS TO CALIFORNIA AND THE WEST. A JOURNEY COMPRISING MORE NOTED AND MAGNIFICENT SCENERY THAT IS COMPASSED IN ANY OTHER TOUR IN THE KNOWN WORLD[.] FOURTH EDITION[.] PREPARED AND ISSUED, 1901, BY C. A. ANDERSON, NEW ENGLAND AGENT, 383 WASHINGTON STREET, BOSTON, MASS., U. S. A. Boston: [Judson-Alton Overland Excursions], 1901. 21x14.8 cm (octavo), pp. 1-96, illustrations from photographs, publisher's light green wrappers printed in dark green, side stapled. Fourth edition. Cover title reads: "European edition. A Trip from ocean to ocean or weekly excursions to California and the West. Operated from Boston via Boston & Maine R. R. Price twenty-five cents" An elaborate promotional describing a trip from coast to coast under the direction of a Judson-Alton excursion manager. Judson and Company was in business from roughly the mid 1880s through the early 1910s, and they were direct competitors of the Raymond & Whitcomb Company (famous for their high-end "Raymond's tours"). However, Judson operated under a very different business model and targeted a completely different tier of the Gilded Age travel market. By partnering heavily with specific rail lines to form the Judson-Alton Overland Excursion, they focused on volume and affordability. Instead of ultra-luxury cars, they popularized the use of "Tourist Sleeping Cars" (often called Pullman Tourists). These lacked the velvet curtains and mahogany trim of luxury cars but offered clean, comfortable berths at a fraction of the cost. Judson marketed themselves as practical guides for the adventurous middle class, retirees, and families looking to relocate westward. Advertisements from the turn of the century highlighted that Judson’s managers were experts on "Western property, land investments, and irrigation." They pitched their excursions not just as sightseeing trips, but as stress-free logistical pipelines to explore the booming California real estate market. Single sheet: "Supplement. Ocean to Ocean," promoting the Southern Pacific coast line is laid in. Staples rusted, spine panel worn, several short tears in rear cover mended, a good copy. (#179381).

Price: $165.00