Butterfield Overland Mail in California
Encyclopedia
The Butterfield Overland Mail
in California
was created by the United States Congress
on March 3, 1857, and operated until June 30, 1861. Subsequently other stage lines operated along the route. The route that was operated crossed the Colorado River from New Mexico Territory
to Fort Yuma
then descended into Baja California
Mexico
for some miles to stations with the little water available in the Colorado Desert
(waterless except in the winter). It then ascended northwest into the coast range, crossing via Warners Pass and on to Los Angeles
, headquarters of the second Division of the Overland Mail's route. It then proceaded to San Francisco
which was the headquarters of the Overland Mail's 1st Division and its western terminus. There were fifty two stage stations in California. Thirty four stations were in the first division and eighteen stations in the second division. These stations were located from 8 miles (12.9 km) to 38 miles (61.2 km) apart. The total length of the route across the state was approximately 742 miles (1,194.1 km).
Although it lasted only from 1857 to 1861, the Butterfield route made famous one of the most important roads in the settlement and development of California and most of it was used in one form or another until today. The route from Fort Yuma to Warners Pass followed an old Spanish trail from Sonora to San Diego and was used during the Mexican American War by the U.S. Army. During the California Gold Rush the route from Warners Pass to Los Angeles was used by American immigrants from the east in 1849 and for decades thereafter. The northern route from Los Angeles via Fort Tejon followed the Stockton - Los Angeles Road
established as a southern route to the goldfeilds during the Gold Rush until it split off at Elkhorn Spring Station. From there if turned to the west across the San Joaquin Valley
and through the mountains via Pacheco Pass
to Gilroy
then north via San Jose
to San Francisco.
in California
was created by the United States Congress
on March 3, 1857, and operated until June 30, 1861. Subsequently other stage lines operated along the route. The route that was operated crossed the Colorado River from New Mexico Territory
to Fort Yuma
then descended into Baja California
Mexico
for some miles to stations with the little water available in the Colorado Desert
(waterless except in the winter). It then ascended northwest into the coast range, crossing via Warners Pass and on to Los Angeles
, headquarters of the second Division of the Overland Mail's route. It then proceaded to San Francisco
which was the headquarters of the Overland Mail's 1st Division and its western terminus. There were fifty two stage stations in California. Thirty four stations were in the first division and eighteen stations in the second division. These stations were located from 8 miles (12.9 km) to 38 miles (61.2 km) apart. The total length of the route across the state was approximately 742 miles (1,194.1 km).
Although it lasted only from 1857 to 1861, the Butterfield route made famous one of the most important roads in the settlement and development of California and most of it was used in one form or another until today. The route from Fort Yuma to Warners Pass followed an old Spanish trail from Sonora to San Diego and was used during the Mexican American War by the U.S. Army. During the California Gold Rush the route from Warners Pass to Los Angeles was used by American immigrants from the east in 1849 and for decades thereafter. The northern route from Los Angeles via Fort Tejon followed the Stockton - Los Angeles Road
established as a southern route to the goldfeilds during the Gold Rush until it split off at Elkhorn Spring Station. From there if turned to the west across the San Joaquin Valley
and through the mountains via Pacheco Pass
to Gilroy
then north via San Jose
to San Francisco.
in California
was created by the United States Congress
on March 3, 1857, and operated until June 30, 1861. Subsequently other stage lines operated along the route. The route that was operated crossed the Colorado River from New Mexico Territory
to Fort Yuma
then descended into Baja California
Mexico
for some miles to stations with the little water available in the Colorado Desert
(waterless except in the winter). It then ascended northwest into the coast range, crossing via Warners Pass and on to Los Angeles
, headquarters of the second Division of the Overland Mail's route. It then proceaded to San Francisco
which was the headquarters of the Overland Mail's 1st Division and its western terminus. There were fifty two stage stations in California. Thirty four stations were in the first division and eighteen stations in the second division. These stations were located from 8 miles (12.9 km) to 38 miles (61.2 km) apart. The total length of the route across the state was approximately 742 miles (1,194.1 km).
Although it lasted only from 1857 to 1861, the Butterfield route made famous one of the most important roads in the settlement and development of California and most of it was used in one form or another until today. The route from Fort Yuma to Warners Pass followed an old Spanish trail from Sonora to San Diego and was used during the Mexican American War by the U.S. Army. During the California Gold Rush the route from Warners Pass to Los Angeles was used by American immigrants from the east in 1849 and for decades thereafter. The northern route from Los Angeles via Fort Tejon followed the Stockton - Los Angeles Road
established as a southern route to the goldfeilds during the Gold Rush until it split off at Elkhorn Spring Station. From there if turned to the west across the San Joaquin Valley
and through the mountains via Pacheco Pass
to Gilroy
then north via San Jose
to San Francisco.
Butterfield Overland Mail
The Butterfield Overland Mail Trail was a stagecoach route in the United States, operating from 1857 to 1861. It was a conduit for the U.S. mail from two eastern termini, Memphis, Tennessee and St. Louis, Missouri, meeting Fort Smith, Arkansas, and continuing through Indian Territory, New Mexico,...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
was created by the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
on March 3, 1857, and operated until June 30, 1861. Subsequently other stage lines operated along the route. The route that was operated crossed the Colorado River from New Mexico Territory
New Mexico Territory
thumb|right|240px|Proposed boundaries for State of New Mexico, 1850The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of...
to Fort Yuma
Fort Yuma
Fort Yuma is a fort in California that is located in Imperial County, across the Colorado River from Yuma, Arizona. It was on the Butterfield Overland Mail route from 1858 until 1861 and was abandoned May 16, 1883, and transferred to the Department of the Interior. The Fort Yuma Indian School and a...
then descended into Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
for some miles to stations with the little water available in the Colorado Desert
Colorado Desert
California's Colorado Desert is a part of the larger Sonoran Desert, which extends across southwest North America. The Colorado Desert region encompasses approximately , reaching from the Mexican border in the south to the higher-elevation Mojave Desert in the north and from the Colorado River in...
(waterless except in the winter). It then ascended northwest into the coast range, crossing via Warners Pass and on to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, headquarters of the second Division of the Overland Mail's route. It then proceaded to San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
which was the headquarters of the Overland Mail's 1st Division and its western terminus. There were fifty two stage stations in California. Thirty four stations were in the first division and eighteen stations in the second division. These stations were located from 8 miles (12.9 km) to 38 miles (61.2 km) apart. The total length of the route across the state was approximately 742 miles (1,194.1 km).
Although it lasted only from 1857 to 1861, the Butterfield route made famous one of the most important roads in the settlement and development of California and most of it was used in one form or another until today. The route from Fort Yuma to Warners Pass followed an old Spanish trail from Sonora to San Diego and was used during the Mexican American War by the U.S. Army. During the California Gold Rush the route from Warners Pass to Los Angeles was used by American immigrants from the east in 1849 and for decades thereafter. The northern route from Los Angeles via Fort Tejon followed the Stockton - Los Angeles Road
Stockton - Los Angeles Road
Stockton-Los Angeles Road, also known as the Millerton Road, Stockton-Mariposa Road, Stockton-Fort Miller Road or the Stockton-Visalia Road was established about 1853 following the discovery of gold on the Kern River in Old Tulare County...
established as a southern route to the goldfeilds during the Gold Rush until it split off at Elkhorn Spring Station. From there if turned to the west across the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
and through the mountains via Pacheco Pass
Pacheco Pass
Pacheco Pass, elevation , is a mountain pass located in the Diablo Range in southeastern Santa Clara County, California. It is the main road over the hills separating the Santa Clara Valley and the Central Valley....
to Gilroy
Gilroy
- People :* Beryl Gilroy* Dan Gilroy* Frank D. Gilroy* Freddie Gilroy* Henry Gilroy* Ian Gilroy* Jackie Gilroy* John Gilroy * Keith Gilroy* Linda Gilroy* Matt Gilroy* Norman Thomas Gilroy* Pat Gilroy* Paul Gilroy* Rex Gilroy* Thomas F...
then north via San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
to San Francisco.
Stations
The Butterfield Overland MailButterfield Overland Mail
The Butterfield Overland Mail Trail was a stagecoach route in the United States, operating from 1857 to 1861. It was a conduit for the U.S. mail from two eastern termini, Memphis, Tennessee and St. Louis, Missouri, meeting Fort Smith, Arkansas, and continuing through Indian Territory, New Mexico,...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
was created by the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
on March 3, 1857, and operated until June 30, 1861. Subsequently other stage lines operated along the route. The route that was operated crossed the Colorado River from New Mexico Territory
New Mexico Territory
thumb|right|240px|Proposed boundaries for State of New Mexico, 1850The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of...
to Fort Yuma
Fort Yuma
Fort Yuma is a fort in California that is located in Imperial County, across the Colorado River from Yuma, Arizona. It was on the Butterfield Overland Mail route from 1858 until 1861 and was abandoned May 16, 1883, and transferred to the Department of the Interior. The Fort Yuma Indian School and a...
then descended into Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
for some miles to stations with the little water available in the Colorado Desert
Colorado Desert
California's Colorado Desert is a part of the larger Sonoran Desert, which extends across southwest North America. The Colorado Desert region encompasses approximately , reaching from the Mexican border in the south to the higher-elevation Mojave Desert in the north and from the Colorado River in...
(waterless except in the winter). It then ascended northwest into the coast range, crossing via Warners Pass and on to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, headquarters of the second Division of the Overland Mail's route. It then proceaded to San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
which was the headquarters of the Overland Mail's 1st Division and its western terminus. There were fifty two stage stations in California. Thirty four stations were in the first division and eighteen stations in the second division. These stations were located from 8 miles (12.9 km) to 38 miles (61.2 km) apart. The total length of the route across the state was approximately 742 miles (1,194.1 km).
Although it lasted only from 1857 to 1861, the Butterfield route made famous one of the most important roads in the settlement and development of California and most of it was used in one form or another until today. The route from Fort Yuma to Warners Pass followed an old Spanish trail from Sonora to San Diego and was used during the Mexican American War by the U.S. Army. During the California Gold Rush the route from Warners Pass to Los Angeles was used by American immigrants from the east in 1849 and for decades thereafter. The northern route from Los Angeles via Fort Tejon followed the Stockton - Los Angeles Road
Stockton - Los Angeles Road
Stockton-Los Angeles Road, also known as the Millerton Road, Stockton-Mariposa Road, Stockton-Fort Miller Road or the Stockton-Visalia Road was established about 1853 following the discovery of gold on the Kern River in Old Tulare County...
established as a southern route to the goldfeilds during the Gold Rush until it split off at Elkhorn Spring Station. From there if turned to the west across the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
and through the mountains via Pacheco Pass
Pacheco Pass
Pacheco Pass, elevation , is a mountain pass located in the Diablo Range in southeastern Santa Clara County, California. It is the main road over the hills separating the Santa Clara Valley and the Central Valley....
to Gilroy
Gilroy
- People :* Beryl Gilroy* Dan Gilroy* Frank D. Gilroy* Freddie Gilroy* Henry Gilroy* Ian Gilroy* Jackie Gilroy* John Gilroy * Keith Gilroy* Linda Gilroy* Matt Gilroy* Norman Thomas Gilroy* Pat Gilroy* Paul Gilroy* Rex Gilroy* Thomas F...
then north via San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
to San Francisco.
Stations
The Butterfield Overland MailButterfield Overland Mail
The Butterfield Overland Mail Trail was a stagecoach route in the United States, operating from 1857 to 1861. It was a conduit for the U.S. mail from two eastern termini, Memphis, Tennessee and St. Louis, Missouri, meeting Fort Smith, Arkansas, and continuing through Indian Territory, New Mexico,...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
was created by the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
on March 3, 1857, and operated until June 30, 1861. Subsequently other stage lines operated along the route. The route that was operated crossed the Colorado River from New Mexico Territory
New Mexico Territory
thumb|right|240px|Proposed boundaries for State of New Mexico, 1850The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of...
to Fort Yuma
Fort Yuma
Fort Yuma is a fort in California that is located in Imperial County, across the Colorado River from Yuma, Arizona. It was on the Butterfield Overland Mail route from 1858 until 1861 and was abandoned May 16, 1883, and transferred to the Department of the Interior. The Fort Yuma Indian School and a...
then descended into Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
for some miles to stations with the little water available in the Colorado Desert
Colorado Desert
California's Colorado Desert is a part of the larger Sonoran Desert, which extends across southwest North America. The Colorado Desert region encompasses approximately , reaching from the Mexican border in the south to the higher-elevation Mojave Desert in the north and from the Colorado River in...
(waterless except in the winter). It then ascended northwest into the coast range, crossing via Warners Pass and on to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, headquarters of the second Division of the Overland Mail's route. It then proceaded to San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
which was the headquarters of the Overland Mail's 1st Division and its western terminus. There were fifty two stage stations in California. Thirty four stations were in the first division and eighteen stations in the second division. These stations were located from 8 miles (12.9 km) to 38 miles (61.2 km) apart. The total length of the route across the state was approximately 742 miles (1,194.1 km).
Although it lasted only from 1857 to 1861, the Butterfield route made famous one of the most important roads in the settlement and development of California and most of it was used in one form or another until today. The route from Fort Yuma to Warners Pass followed an old Spanish trail from Sonora to San Diego and was used during the Mexican American War by the U.S. Army. During the California Gold Rush the route from Warners Pass to Los Angeles was used by American immigrants from the east in 1849 and for decades thereafter. The northern route from Los Angeles via Fort Tejon followed the Stockton - Los Angeles Road
Stockton - Los Angeles Road
Stockton-Los Angeles Road, also known as the Millerton Road, Stockton-Mariposa Road, Stockton-Fort Miller Road or the Stockton-Visalia Road was established about 1853 following the discovery of gold on the Kern River in Old Tulare County...
established as a southern route to the goldfeilds during the Gold Rush until it split off at Elkhorn Spring Station. From there if turned to the west across the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
and through the mountains via Pacheco Pass
Pacheco Pass
Pacheco Pass, elevation , is a mountain pass located in the Diablo Range in southeastern Santa Clara County, California. It is the main road over the hills separating the Santa Clara Valley and the Central Valley....
to Gilroy
Gilroy
- People :* Beryl Gilroy* Dan Gilroy* Frank D. Gilroy* Freddie Gilroy* Henry Gilroy* Ian Gilroy* Jackie Gilroy* John Gilroy * Keith Gilroy* Linda Gilroy* Matt Gilroy* Norman Thomas Gilroy* Pat Gilroy* Paul Gilroy* Rex Gilroy* Thomas F...
then north via San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
to San Francisco.
Stations
| 1st Division |
|---|
div style="background-color:Cornsilk; border:solid 3px OliveDrab">
|
| 2nd Division |
|---|
div style="background-color:beige; border:solid 3px OliveDrab">
|
See also
- Butterfield Overland Mail in New Mexico TerritoryButterfield Overland Mail in New Mexico TerritoryThe Butterfield Overland Mail was a transport and mail delivery system that employed stagecoaches that traveled on a specific route between Saint Louis, Missouri and San Francisco, California and which passed through the New Mexico Territory. It was created by the United States Congress on March...
- Butterfield Overland Mail in TexasButterfield Overland Mail in TexasIn Texas, the Butterfield Overland Mail service created by Congress on March 3, 1857, operated until March 30, 1861. The route that was operated extended from San Francisco, California to Los Angeles, then across the Colorado Desert to Fort Yuma, then across New Mexico Territory via, Tucson and...
- Butterfield Overland Mail in Indian TerritoryButterfield Overland Mail in Indian TerritoryThe Butterfield Overland Mail in Indian Territory was part of the overall Butterfield Overland Mail service created by Congress March 3, 1857. The route crossed Indian Territory from Colbert's Ferry to Fort Smith, Arkansas which was the Center for the Overland Mail's' 7th Division...
- Butterfield Overland Mail in Arkansas and MissouriButterfield Overland Mail in Arkansas and MissouriThe Butterfield Overland Mail in Arkansas and Missouri was created by the United States Congress on March 3, 1857, and operated until March 30, 1861. The route that was operated extended from San Francisco, California to Los Angeles, then across the Colorado Desert to Fort Yuma, then across New...