The Game of a Trip with Phoebe Snow

The Lackawanna Railroad created the character Phoebe Snow at the end of the Nineteenth Century, and used her to promote the clean burning anthracite coal used in the Lackawanna’s steam locomotives. In the years before World War I, Phoebe Snow was a major advertising icon. She was so popular that in 1899, McLoughlin Brothers created a board game around her image, The Game of A Trip With Phoebe Snow.

This board game consisted of a long and winding trip from New York to San Francisco. Players would spin a dial and try to be the first player to reach San Francisco. Spaces on the board were represented by cities along the way, or spaces requiring the player to go to the dining car or meet Phoebe.

Like Phoebe Snow herself, the game faded away around the time of World War I. Originals are hard to come by and command high prices among vintage game collectors. Thanks to David Monte Verde, we were able to borrow an original and create reproductions of this unique Lackawanna-themed board game.

The Phoebe Snow never ran to San Francisco, but thanks to ELDCPS, you now can in the comfort of your own home!