Temple of the Sun, Big Room, Carlsbad Caverns, NM, 1936
- Subject
- Crowds & Gatherings
- Card type
- Lithograph
- Date
- c. 1936 (Linen)
About this postcard
A tour group stands on the uneven floor of the Big Room at Carlsbad Caverns, facing the formation called the Temple of the Sun. Banded stalagmites rise in columns at the right, and stalactites hang overhead in dense folds. The visitors, some in hats and one in a bright red wrap or flag, give a sense of the chamber's scale. Carlsbad Caverns was made a national park in 1930, and guided tours through the Big Room were already drawing travelers to southeastern New Mexico. The caption describes the scene as the "Shrine of the Sun God," with "coraline stalagmites" below and an "onyx drapery" of stalactites above.
Postcard Details
No address detected
Postcard record
| Publisher | Curteich-Chicago |
|---|---|
| Condition | Good |
| Place mentioned | Carlsbad Caverns, NM |
| Place mentioned | Southwest Post Card Co., Box 685, Albuquerque, NM |
| Publisher | Curteich-Chicago, Chicago, IL |
| Notes | Printed caption on the back: "77—THE TEMPLE OF THE SUN, BIG ROOM, CARLSBAD CAVERNS, NEW MEXICO," with descriptive text about the Shrine of the Sun God, coraline stalagmites, and onyx drapery of stalactites. Publisher imprint "© SANTA FE SYSTEM"; distributed by Southwest Post Card Co., Box 685, Albuquerque, N. M.; "GENUINE CURTEICH-CHICAGO 'C.T. ART-COLORTONE' POST CARD (REG. U.S. PAT. OFF.)"; number 6A-H2787. Heavy halftone/moiré pattern from the scan. Slight white margin at edges. No postmark or handwriting; unused divided-back Curteich linen-era card. Light soiling and a crease at the lower-right corner. |
Cite this card
Temple of the Sun, Big Room, Carlsbad Caverns, NM, 1936, postcard, c. 1936. PostalPast Collection. https://postalpast.com/postcard/temple-of-the-sun-big-room-carlsbad-caverns-nm-1936. Accessed November 2, 2026.