History of the Union Pacific Logo
A Symbolic History
Union Pacific's shield is one of the nation's most respected and recognized corporate logos; a symbol of strength reflecting America's heritage. During the company's approximately 140-year history, the shield has mirrored the styles and economic trends that shaped both the railroad and the nation.
Beginning with the introduction of the first UP logo in 1868, the company has had four logos prior to the shield's inception, and since 1887, eleven different shield designs. In total, there have been 27 changes made to the Union Pacific logo identity since the mountain elk logo was first used to identify the fledgling “Union Pacific Rail Road Company” in 1868. Despite their continuous evolution, Union Pacific's logos have remained under the protection of active trademark patent for over 100 years.
The information in this section traces the evolution of the UP logo within a context of historical milestones. Dates shown for logos indicate either earliest known use, official issuance, or the date of creation. Occasionally logos continued to appear in use after being superseded by a new version. (…)
1868 Mountain Elk Logo.
A descendant of the printer's device, this identifying mark appears on the title page of a booklet. Note that the words “Rail Road” appear as part of the company name. The elk and train are symbols still associated with the company.
Aug. 1887
The First Shield. In 1886, UP vice-president T.J. Potter asked passenger agent Edward L. Lomax to create a patriotic logo conveying the company's heritage to the Pacific Railroad Act. To create the perfect image, Lomax is said to have taken a year to produce 100 sketches of shields.
Source:
Union Pacific
