The National Parks Preserve Wildlife WPA poster – J Hirt – 1939
The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialised world. It lasted from 1929 to 1939. By 1933, when the Great Depression reached its lowest point, some 15 million Americans were unemployed and nearly half the country’s banks had failed. In 1935, President Roosevelt established the Works Progress Administration, as part of the New Deal program. The intention was to put millions of unemployed Americans back to work.
Posters were a huge part of the program and the U.S. government became a vital patron of the arts, employing hundreds of artists to create millions of posters promoting positive social ideals and programs as well as a uniquely American way of life. They were designed to publicise community activities, health and education programs, exhibitions, and theatrical productions across 17 of the US states. At least 2000 posters are known to exist. Through the posters distinct imagery and clear and simple messages, the posters of the WPA (Works Projects Administration) provide a unique snapshot of an important era in America’s past. The resulting designs are a significant historical record of steps taken to help the nation recover from the worst economic collapse in its history.
This poster created for the Department of the Interior, National Parks Service was illustrated by the artist J. Hirt for the WPA. It features two bighorn sheep standing on a mountain rock in the Kofa Wildlife Reserve.The reserve was established in 1939 for the protection of desert bighorn sheep and other native wildlife following a 1936 campaign by the Arizona Boy Scouts. An article about the Kofa Reserve appears on the FWS Government website gives more insight. “Major Frederick R. Burnham, a frontiersman turned conservationist, observed that populations of bighorn sheep were sharply declining and appealed to the Boy Scouts to take up the cause. For two years, more than 10,000 boy Scouts and their leaders campaigned to protect bighorn sheep through a “save the bighorns” poster contest, talks, and dramatizations on the radio and at school assemblies. As a result of the campaign, land was set aside for the establishment of Kofa Game Range”.
The bighorn sheep is native to North America but hugely endangered. Centuries of unregulated hunting, disease outbreaks, and being prey for mountain lions took a heavy toll on the Sierra bighorn population. Disease was the largest culprit. The bighorn sheep being susceptible to diseases transmitted for the domestic European sheep introduced in to America the 1870s.
At one time the bighorn sheep population is believed to have peaked in the millions, but by 1900, the population had shrunk to low thousands. Despite efforts to increase the population, by 1995, there were just 100 left and the Sierra bighorn were listed as a federally endangered species in 2000.
Our posters are carefully and professionally created from vintage originals. Whilst great care is taken in the production of these posters, we also try to maintain a vintage feel, so there may be small imperfections, fold marks, scuffs, tears or marks that were part of the original poster master. If these do appear they should be visible on the larger views of the item on this listing. The originals of many of the posters we offer can cost many thousands of pounds, so whilst these posters look great, especially framed and mounted on a wall, they are intended as a fun, affordable reproductions and not intended fine art prints.
The 50x70cm version has been specially produced to be used in conjunction with Ikea’s 50x70cm Ribba picture frame which currently retails for around £15. So you can bag a bargain of print and frame for a great price.
