To advertise his Skagway bus tour in the 1940s, Martin Itjen built a wooden sign shaped like his bus and placed it on the end of one of the old unused wharves as shown in the above postcard. The wharf is possibly the Juneau Company Wharf where Soapy met his demise.
In the bus windows are carnitures of the Soap Gang. A large taxidermied bear appears to be waving to incoming ships.
In the bus windows are carnitures of the Soap Gang. A large taxidermied bear appears to be waving to incoming ships.
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Wow! That is a very creative example of advertising by Mr.Itjen. I wonder where that bus and/or bear are now ...if in fact they still exist.
ReplyDeleteHappy trails.
Rich
I don't know about the bear or the ad, but the real bus does still exist! It was purchased along with the saloon building by the National Park Service and will be on display at the Parlor once restoration is complete.
ReplyDeleteI rode in that bus in the 1977 july 4 parade with my father, mother and brother. Also with us were my uncle, aunt, and cousin. Oh, what a time that was. There are photographs of the bus HERE.
Jeff Smith