1911 Fred Harvey Hand-Colored Litho Postcard – Mexican Vista Near Las Vegas NM

This hand-colored lithographic postcard, published by Fred Harvey, presents a scenic view titled A Mexican Vista Near Las Vegas, New Mexico, catalog number 444. The image captures the distinctive cultural landscape of San Miguel County, depicting traditional adobe structures nestled within a rugged, rocky terrain dotted with large deciduous trees, all set against the dramatic backdrop of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The Hand-Colored designation indicates the meticulous application of watercolor or dye to a monochrome print, a hallmark of early 20th-century chromolithography that imbues the scene with a period-authentic vibrancy. The card was mailed from Albuquerque, New Mexico, on November 27, 1911, as evidenced by the clear circular date stamp cancelling the one-cent George Washington stamp. The correspondence, written in clear cursive, notes Beautiful weather, no storm of any kind since Saturday morning in Cleveland, and is signed by W.B.W. to a recipient in Middlefield, Ohio. This Fred Harvey issue is a quintessential example of railway-era promotional ephemera, designed to market the romanticized allure of the American Southwest to travelers on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The combination of its specific 1911 postal use, its depiction of regional Hispano architecture, and its status as a publisher-marked collectible makes it a tangible artifact of early tourism and communication in the region.