Continental Airlines operated from 1934 until it merged with United Airlines in 2012. Its first ‘Proud Bird’ flew from El Paso, Texas, to Pueblo, Colorado.

September 9, 1969, marked the inaugural service to Hawaii – with direct flights daily from Los Angeles and Chicago. Direct service to Hawaii began a few weeks later from Denver, Seattle, Portland and Houston – with connections from many other mainland cities.

In 1968 Continental, in conjunction with its affiliate Air Micronesia, had also begun to fly lucky passengers to the 2100 sun-drenched islands and coral atolls known as the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (now Micronesia) strung like a colorful necklace across a part of the Central Pacific as large as the United States.

The 1960s and 70s encompassed the era of the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and antiwar protests and counter cultural movements across the US.

This vividly colored Pop Art-style illustration was typical of the 1970s era and was the front cover of a package given to Hawaii-bound passengers. It would have contained a route map and an onboard menu.