Description
What it is
This is the 1996 edition of the Yellowstone Falls poster from Ranger Doug’s WPA park-poster series, sold as a full-size hand-pulled serigraph. It reproduces one of the 14 original posters the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project produced for national parks between 1938 and 1941, before WWII shut the program down. Only one original of the Yellowstone Falls design has ever been found.
About the design
The poster shows the Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, with the river dropping between the steep canyon walls. Across the top: “Ranger Naturalist Service, Headquarters Yellowstone Museums,” followed by a list of the park’s interpretive programs from the 1930s and 1940s. The bottom band carries “Yellowstone National Park” with the NPS arrowhead and the Department of the Interior seal.
This 1996 printing uses a warm color palette: deep browns and chocolate for the canyon shadows, amber and golden tones for the sunlit rock, and a light blue sky. The bottom band is dark maroon with golden text. It is a distinctly different colorway from the 2014 edition, which uses greens and sage tones instead.
About Ranger Doug
Doug Leen is a former Grand Teton climbing ranger and retired Seattle dentist who has spent decades tracking down the lost WPA park posters. In 1971 he rescued a Grand Teton print headed for a park burn pile. In 1993 he started Ranger Doug’s Enterprises to reproduce the complete set. Every poster is hand-pulled using the silkscreen process, the same method the original WPA artists used. These are not digital or offset reproductions.
Why the edition year matters
Ranger Doug has printed the Yellowstone Falls design in multiple editions over the years, each with its own color separations. The 1996 and 2014 printings use completely different palettes for the same composition. The 1996 is the warmer, earth-toned version. Collectors often look for both. See the 2014 edition.
Specifications
- Image size: 13 5/8″ x 18 1/2″
- Border: varies by print (measure before ordering a frame)
- Printing method: hand-pulled silkscreen (serigraph)
- Edition: 1996 (copyright 1996 Doug Leen)
- Made in: USA (Ranger Doug’s Enterprises, Seattle WA)
- Price: $50
Who is this for
WPA poster collectors and Yellowstone visitors who want real park art with a real history. The Yellowstone Falls design is one of the better-known WPA compositions, but this 1996 printing in the brown and amber colorway is not a current production item. At 13 5/8″ x 18 1/2″ it fits standard poster frames once you confirm the border width.
Frequently asked questions
Is this an original WPA print or a reproduction?
It is a reproduction. The original Yellowstone Falls poster was produced around 1940 in an edition of roughly 50-100 prints. Only one original is known to survive, and it is in the Library of Congress. Ranger Doug reproduced it using the same hand-pulled silkscreen technique the WPA artists used.
What is the difference between the 1996 and 2014 editions?
Same composition, different colors. The 1996 uses warm browns, amber, and golden tones with a dark maroon bottom band. The 2014 uses cooler greens, tans, and sage tones with a forest green bottom band. Both are hand-pulled serigraphs from Ranger Doug’s Enterprises. See the 2014 edition.
What size frame do I need?
The image is 13 5/8″ x 18 1/2″, but the border width varies between individual prints. Ranger Doug recommends measuring your specific print before buying a frame.
Does buying this support national parks?
BHPFA is the official nonprofit partner of Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Scotts Bluff National Monument, and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, as well as the Black Hills National Forest and Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands. Proceeds from every purchase support education programs, conservation projects, and visitor services at these sites. Yellowstone National Park is not a BHPFA partner site, but revenue from every product we sell supports our partner parks and forests.
