Category: Postcards From Another Millennium

This view shows some of the red rock formations along the canyon as the visitor drives the canyon road.

The description states:
ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH
Located in Souther Utah and easily reached by rail, bus and private automobile over modern paved highways, Zion National Park with its sheer canyon walls, scenic drives, bridle paths, and easy trails offers unsurpassed sight-seeing and outdoor vacation pleasures.
–This card likely dates from the 1950s

The Court of the Patriarchs is featured in the center background of this image, which views it from the canyon floor.

The description states:
COURT OF THE PATRIARCHS,
ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH
A trio of lofty peaks, the Three Patriarchs, tower above the meandering North Fork of the Virgin River (which the Indians called Mukuntuweap) deep in the heart of Zion Canyon.
–This card likely dates from the 1950s.

This is another image of the Great White Throne, more close up and from an aerial perspective to show the massive bulk of the tower and its base.

The description states:
GREAT WHITE THRONE
ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH
The Great White Throne, the most famous point in Zion national Park, is the largest monolith in the world. The sheer stone walls of this spectacular mountain rise 2447 feet above the floor of the canyon.
–This card likely dates from the 1950s.

This image shows Angel’s Landing again in the center background, but features the Virgin River which formed the canyon seen today.

The description states:
ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH
Through a strangely-colored land of sand, shale and limestone in Southwestern Utah, the Virgin River has cut a deep, narrow, vertically walled canyon whose walls blaze with color.
–The image likely dates from the 1950s.

This image shows the canyon floor and approaches to the structure called the Great White Throne. It was named, not by Mormon explorers, but by a Methodist minister who travelled in this canyon. It’s name is derived from a passage in the book of Revelations from the Christian bible.

The description states:
GREAT WHITE THRONE
ZION NATIONAL PARK
Nearly twice as high as the tallest building in the world, the sheer walls of spectacular Great White Throne in Zion National Park rise 2, 447 feet above the floor of the canyon.
–The comparison to the tallest building is obviously no longer valid, as the tallest building in the world at this writing is the Burj Khalifa, which is 2,722 feet. This image likely dates from the 1950s.

Continuing the celestial theme for natural features in the park, this is an image of Angel’s Landing. It was previously known as Temple of Aeolus, after the Greek ruler of the winds.

The description states:
ANGEL’S LANDING
Among the beauties of Zion National Park in Southern Utah is famous Angel’s Landing. This mountain of red stone towering high above the canyon floor was so named because it appear to reach almost to Heaven.
–The picture likely dates from the 1950s.

This image follows closely on the previous one, which showed the Temple of Sinawava from and elevated view. In this image, the parking lot at the end of Zion Canyon Drive is featured, along with the scenic views from the lot.

The description states:
TEMPLE OF SINAWAVA
ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH
A natural amphitheater almost surrounded by vertical canyon walls, the Temple of Sinawava is located at the upper end of the highway in Zion Canyon. In the center of the circle stand two stone pillars, the altar and the pulpit.
–The cars shown in the image are from the late 1940s, but the card likely dates from the 1950s.

This evocative name describes the semicircular canyon that encloses this area in Zion National Park. The Temple of Sinawava is the at the end of Zion Canyon Drive and the beginning of the Riverside Walk.

The description states: TEMPLE OF SINAWAVA ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH Located at the upper end of the highway in Zion Canyon, the Temple of Sinawava is  natural amphitheater almost surrounded by the vertical canyon walls. The canyon floor is flower-covered and shaded by giant cottonwood trees, and from this point an oil-surfaced foot path penetrates a mile farther up the canyon to the Narrows. –This card likely dates to the 1950s.

This image is of the valley floor in Zion National Park, with the Zion Lodge building just visible in the lower right. The park itself is in the extreme lower left corner of the state.

The description states:
ZION LODGE
ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH
Operated by Utah Parks Co., Zion Lodge is located in the heart of Zion National Park. Here the visitor finds comfortable accommodations, delicious and wholesome food, outdoor sports including hiking, horseback riding, swimming, tennis, and sight-seeing in a canyon of unsurpassed beauty.
–This card likely dates from the 1950s.

This image begins a series of views of the famous Zion National Park near Springdale, Utah. This is an image of one of the entrances to the park.

The description states:
ENTRANCE GATE TO ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH
More than half a mile deep, half a mile wide at the bottom and a mile wide from crest to crest, Zion Canyon is the best-known example of a deep, narrow vertically-walled gorge readily accessible.
–This image likely dates from the 1950s.