Butterfield Overland Mail in Texas
Encyclopedia
In 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 Mesilla, New Mexico
to Franklin, Texas
, mid point on the route. The route through Texas followed first the northern route to the Pecos River
and downstream to Horse Head Crossing. The route in West Texas was changed in 1859, in order to secure a better water supply on the route and to provide mail service to a more settled area, the stages between Franklin and the Pecos River followed the San Antonio-El Paso Road
to Camp Stockton and then on to Horsehead Crossing. From Horsehead Crossing the route crossed Texas to the Red River and into Indian Territory
. In 1860 the route was changed to another route from Jacksboro
to Sherman
via Decatur
due to the building of a new toll bridge at Bridgeport
, that avoided delays crossing the West Fork of the Trinity River
when it was flooded. From Colberts Ferry the route went on to Fort Smith
, then up across Arkansas
and south west Missouri
to Tipton
with the final leg by train to St. Louis. The Texas mail route was so long that the route there, like that in California, was divided into two divisions each under a superintendent.
, thirty six miles to Cornudas de Los Alamos then east northeast fifty-six miles to Pinery Station. Subsequently stations were added between Hueco Tanks and Cornudas de Los Alamos at Ojos de los Alamos, and at Crow Springs between Cornudas de Los Alamos and Pinery. From Pinery, the route then ran twenty-four miles east to Delaware Springs Station, then forty miles down Delaware Creek nearly to its junction with the Pecos River
, and across Pope's Crossing to Pope's Camp. It then ran sixty five miles down the east bank of the Pecos, to Emigrant Crossing Station and onward fifty-five miles to Horsehead Crossing
.
In August 1859, the route in West Texas
was changed in order to secure a better water supply on the route and to provide mail service to a more settled area, the stages between Franklin and the Pecos River followed the San Antonio-El Paso Road
down the Rio Grande, passing through Ysleta 14 miles from Franklin, Socorro
, San Elizario, Birchville Station, then 33 miles to Fort Quitman
. Moving eastward away from the river at Fort Quitman, the route traveled 31 miles to Eagle Spring, 19 miles to Van Horns Wells, then a waterless 33 miles to Deadman's Hole, 18 miles to Barrel Springs, another 18 miles to Fort Davis
. From Fort Davis Station the route proceaded down through Limpia Canyon to Limpia Staton, Barrilla Springs, then 34 miles to Leon Springs and on to Camp Stockton. 45 miles east of Camp Stockton the route reached Horsehead Crossing where a ferry carried the coaches across the Pecos River to Horsehead Crossing Station.
From Horsehead Crossing the trail ran seventy waterless miles east northeast across the Llano Estacado
to the headwaters of the Middle Concho River
, then northward, about thirty miles through the vicinity of modern Carlsbad
, to a camp or station;, then twenty-two miles to Grape Creek Station near the south line of present Coke County; to Fort Chadbourne
in what is now Coke County.
, to Fort Phantom Hill
, then twelve miles more to Smith's Station, twenty six miles to Clear Fork station, thirteen miles to Franz's Station and then twenty-two miles to Fort Belknap
. From Fort Belknap the line turned eastward sixteen miles to Murphy's Station (near present Graham, Texas
), then nineteen miles to Jacksboro, Texas
, sixteen miles to Earhart's Station, twenty-four miles to Davidson's Station, then seventeen miles to Gainesville, Texas
, fifteen miles to Diamond's station (one mile west of the site of present Whitesboro
), fifteen miles to Sherman
and across the Red River at Colbert's Ferry
, eight miles below Preston, Texas
to Indian Territory
.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, the Butterfield Overland Mail
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,...
service created by Congress on March 3, 1857, operated until March 30, 1861. The route that was operated extended from San Francisco, 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...
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...
, then across 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...
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 across 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...
via, Tucson
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
and Mesilla, New Mexico
Mesilla, New Mexico
Mesilla is a town in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 2,180 at the 2000 census...
to Franklin, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, mid point on the route. The route through Texas followed first the northern route to the Pecos River
Pecos River
The headwaters of the Pecos River are located north of Pecos, New Mexico, United States, at an elevation of over 12,000 feet on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Mora County. The river flows for through the eastern portion of that state and neighboring Texas before it...
and downstream to Horse Head Crossing. The route in West Texas was changed in 1859, in order to secure a better water supply on the route and to provide mail service to a more settled area, the stages between Franklin and the Pecos River followed the San Antonio-El Paso Road
San Antonio-El Paso Road
The San Antonio-El Paso Road also known as the Lower Emigrant Road or Military Road was an economically important trade route between the Texas cities of San Antonio and El Paso between 1849 and 1882...
to Camp Stockton and then on to Horsehead Crossing. From Horsehead Crossing the route crossed Texas to the Red River and into Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
. In 1860 the route was changed to another route from Jacksboro
Jacksboro, Texas
Jacksboro is a city in Jack County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,533 at the 2000 census. Jacksboro is located at the junction of U.S...
to Sherman
Sherman, Texas
Sherman is a city in and the county seat of Grayson County, Texas, United States. The city's estimated population as of 2009 was 38,407. It is also one of two principal cities in the Sherman-Denison Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
via Decatur
Decatur, Texas
Decatur is a city located in Wise County, Texas, United States. This city was named after Stephen Decatur, Jr. The population was 5,201 at the 2000 census. A July 1, 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 6,432. It is the county seat of Wise County...
due to the building of a new toll bridge at Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Texas
Bridgeport is a city in Wise County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,309 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Bridgeport has a total area of 3.7 square miles , of which, 3.7 square miles of it is land and 0.04 square miles of it is...
, that avoided delays crossing the West Fork of the Trinity River
Trinity River (Texas)
The Trinity River is a long river that flows entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It rises in extreme north Texas, a few miles south of the Red River. The headwaters are separated by the high bluffs on the south side of the Red River....
when it was flooded. From Colberts Ferry the route went on to Fort Smith
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
, then up across Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
and south west Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
to Tipton
Tipton, Missouri
Tipton is a city in Moniteau County, Missouri, United States. The population was 3,261 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jefferson City, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Tipton is located at ....
with the final leg by train to St. Louis. The Texas mail route was so long that the route there, like that in California, was divided into two divisions each under a superintendent.
5th_Division Route
At first the 5th Division route left Franklin to run due east thirty miles to Hueco TanksHueco Tanks
Hueco Tanks is an area of low mountains in El Paso County, Texas, USA. It is located in a high-altitude desert basin between the Franklin Mountains to the west and the Hueco Mountains to the east. Hueco is a Spanish word meaning hollows and refers to the many water-holding depressions in the...
, thirty six miles to Cornudas de Los Alamos then east northeast fifty-six miles to Pinery Station. Subsequently stations were added between Hueco Tanks and Cornudas de Los Alamos at Ojos de los Alamos, and at Crow Springs between Cornudas de Los Alamos and Pinery. From Pinery, the route then ran twenty-four miles east to Delaware Springs Station, then forty miles down Delaware Creek nearly to its junction with the Pecos River
Pecos River
The headwaters of the Pecos River are located north of Pecos, New Mexico, United States, at an elevation of over 12,000 feet on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Mora County. The river flows for through the eastern portion of that state and neighboring Texas before it...
, and across Pope's Crossing to Pope's Camp. It then ran sixty five miles down the east bank of the Pecos, to Emigrant Crossing Station and onward fifty-five miles to Horsehead Crossing
Horsehead Crossing
Horsehead Crossing is a ford on the Pecos River, Crane County, Texas. Historically it was major landmark on the trail west as one of a few fordable sections of the Pecos in West Texas, and as a first source of water for about 75 miles on the route from the east.General location as marked by state...
.
In August 1859, the route in West Texas
West Texas
West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
was changed in order to secure a better water supply on the route and to provide mail service to a more settled area, the stages between Franklin and the Pecos River followed the San Antonio-El Paso Road
San Antonio-El Paso Road
The San Antonio-El Paso Road also known as the Lower Emigrant Road or Military Road was an economically important trade route between the Texas cities of San Antonio and El Paso between 1849 and 1882...
down the Rio Grande, passing through Ysleta 14 miles from Franklin, Socorro
Socorro, Texas
Socorro is a city in El Paso County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 27,152. By the 2010 census, the number had grown to 32,013. It is part of the El Paso Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city was reactivated in 1986 and has been a working city since then...
, San Elizario, Birchville Station, then 33 miles to Fort Quitman
Fort Quitman
Fort Quitman was a United States Army installation on the Rio Grande in Texas, south of present-day Sierra Blanca, twenty miles southeast of McNary in southern Hudspeth County. The fort was named for Mississippi Governor John A...
. Moving eastward away from the river at Fort Quitman, the route traveled 31 miles to Eagle Spring, 19 miles to Van Horns Wells, then a waterless 33 miles to Deadman's Hole, 18 miles to Barrel Springs, another 18 miles to Fort Davis
Fort Davis
Fort Davis may refer to the following.*Fort Davis National Historic Site*Fort Davis, Alaska*Fort Davis, Oklahoma*Fort Davis, Panama*Fort Davis, Texas*Fort Davis , a neighborhood of Washington, D.C....
. From Fort Davis Station the route proceaded down through Limpia Canyon to Limpia Staton, Barrilla Springs, then 34 miles to Leon Springs and on to Camp Stockton. 45 miles east of Camp Stockton the route reached Horsehead Crossing where a ferry carried the coaches across the Pecos River to Horsehead Crossing Station.
From Horsehead Crossing the trail ran seventy waterless miles east northeast across the Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado , commonly known as the Staked Plains, is a region in the Southwestern United States that encompasses parts of eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas, including the South Plains and parts of the Texas Panhandle...
to the headwaters of the Middle Concho River
Concho River
The Concho River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas. It has three primary feeds: the North, Middle, and South Concho rivers. The North Concho River is the longest fork, starting in Howard County and traveling southeast for until merging with the South and Middle forks near Goodfellow Air...
, then northward, about thirty miles through the vicinity of modern Carlsbad
Carlsbad, Texas
Carlsbad is an unincorporated community in northwest Tom Green County, Texas, United States. It lies along U.S. Route 87 northwest of the city of San Angelo, the county seat of Tom Green County. Its elevation is 2,024 feet...
, to a camp or station;, then twenty-two miles to Grape Creek Station near the south line of present Coke County; to Fort Chadbourne
Fort Chadbourne
Fort Chadbourne was a fort established by the United States Army on October 28, 1852, in what is now Coke County, Texas, to protect the western frontier and the Butterfield Overland Mail route. It was manned by the 8th U.S. Infantry...
in what is now Coke County.
6th_Division Route
The 6th Division route ran from Fort Chadbourne, twelve miles to the north across Valley Creek to Station #1 then sixteen miles to Mountain Pass Station, then thirty miles, past the route of the Texas and Pacific Railway, a mile west of the site of present TyeTye, Texas
Tye is a city in Taylor County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,158 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Abilene, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Tye is located at ....
, to Fort Phantom Hill
Fort Phantom Hill
Fort Phantom Hill was an United States Army and Confederate Army installation located at the Clear Fork of the Brazos River in Jones County, Texas. The fort was active from 1852 to 1853 and again from 1856 until the 1890s....
, then twelve miles more to Smith's Station, twenty six miles to Clear Fork station, thirteen miles to Franz's Station and then twenty-two miles to Fort Belknap
Fort Belknap
Fort Belknap may refer to:*Fort Belknap Agency, Montana*Fort Belknap, a historic fort in Texas...
. From Fort Belknap the line turned eastward sixteen miles to Murphy's Station (near present Graham, Texas
Graham, Texas
Graham is a city in north central Texas. It is the county seat of Young County, and as of the 2010 Census had a population of 8,903.-History:...
), then nineteen miles to Jacksboro, Texas
Jacksboro, Texas
Jacksboro is a city in Jack County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,533 at the 2000 census. Jacksboro is located at the junction of U.S...
, sixteen miles to Earhart's Station, twenty-four miles to Davidson's Station, then seventeen miles to Gainesville, Texas
Gainesville, Texas
Gainesville is a city in and the county seat of Cooke County, Texas, United States. The population was 15,538 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, fifteen miles to Diamond's station (one mile west of the site of present Whitesboro
Whitesboro, Texas
Whitesboro is a city in Grayson County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,760 at the 2000 census. Whitesboro is named for its founder, Ambrose B...
), fifteen miles to Sherman
Sherman, Texas
Sherman is a city in and the county seat of Grayson County, Texas, United States. The city's estimated population as of 2009 was 38,407. It is also one of two principal cities in the Sherman-Denison Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
and across the Red River at Colbert's Ferry
Colbert's Ferry
Colbert's Ferry was an important Red River crossing between Texas and Indian Territory from about 1850 to 1899. Both the Texas Road and the Butterfield Overland Mail route crossed here. It was located about a half mile southeast of present–day Colbert, Oklahoma.Benjamin F...
, eight miles below Preston, Texas
Preston, Texas
Preston, Texas, also known as Preston Bend was a prominent town located on the Red River in North Texas. It grew in the 19th century at the intersection of several military and trade roads and was an important crossing on the Shawnee cattle trail. Preston lost prominence after the MK&T railroad...
to Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
.
Captain Pope's New Road to Franklin (1st route used, until August 1, 1859 when route was moved to the Lower Road.)
- Hueco TanksHueco TanksHueco Tanks is an area of low mountains in El Paso County, Texas, USA. It is located in a high-altitude desert basin between the Franklin Mountains to the west and the Hueco Mountains to the east. Hueco is a Spanish word meaning hollows and refers to the many water-holding depressions in the...
Station - Located 30 miles from Frankln.- Ojos de los Alamos Station - A later station, located 20 miles east of Hueco Tanks Station in New Mexico.
- Cornudas de Los Alamos Station - Located 36 miles from Hueco Tanks in New Mexico.
- Crow Springs Station - A relay station east of Cornudas Station midway to Pinery Station, only used in 1858
- Pinery Station - Located 56 miles from Cornudas, just east of Guadelupe Pass no water on the route except at station.
- Independence Spring - Spring located 5 miles from Pinery Station.
- Delaware Springs Station - Located 24 miles from Pinery Station.
- Pope's Camp Station - Located 40 miles from Delaware Springs.
- Emigrant Crossing Station - Located 65 miles from Pope's Camp, 55 miles to Horse Head Crossing Station.
Lower Road to Franklin (used from August 1, 1859)
- Ysleta - Located 14 miles from Franklin.
- SocorroSocorro, TexasSocorro is a city in El Paso County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 27,152. By the 2010 census, the number had grown to 32,013. It is part of the El Paso Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city was reactivated in 1986 and has been a working city since then...
- Located 3 miles from Ysleta. - San Elizario - Located 9 1/4 miles from Socorro.
- Birchville StationFort Hancock, TexasFort Hancock is a census-designated place in Hudspeth County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,713 at the 2000 census. Fort Hancock and El Porvenir, Chihuahua area is connected by the Fort Hancock-El Porvenir International Bridge.-Geography:...
- Located 24 1/2 miles from San Elizario. - Fort QuitmanFort QuitmanFort Quitman was a United States Army installation on the Rio Grande in Texas, south of present-day Sierra Blanca, twenty miles southeast of McNary in southern Hudspeth County. The fort was named for Mississippi Governor John A...
- Located 33 miles from Birchville Station. - Eagle Spring - Located 31 miles from Fort Quitman.
- Van Horns Wells StationLobo, TexasLobo is a ghost town in Culberson County, Texas, United States that was abandoned in 1991.-Geography:Lobo is located at between the Van Horn Mountains and Wylie Mountains. It is situated along U.S...
- Located 19 miles from Eagle Spring. - Deadman's Hole or El Muerto Spring - Located 33 miles from Van Horns Wells Station, northeast of Valentine, TexasValentine, TexasValentine is a town in Jeff Davis County, Texas, United States. The population was 187 at the 2000 census. It is the only incorporated municipality in Jeff Davis County....
. - Barrel Springs Station - Located 18 miles southeast of Deadman's Hole.
- Fort Davis StationFort Davis, TexasFort Davis is a census-designated place in Jeff Davis County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,050 at the 2000 census and 1,041 according to a 2007 estimate. It is the county seat of Jeff Davis County...
- Located near Fort DavisFort Davis National Historic SiteFort Davis National Historic Site is a United States National Historic Site located in unincorporated Jeff Davis County, Texas. Located within the Davis Mountains of West Texas, the historic site was established in 1961 to protect one of the best remaining examples of a United States Army fort in...
18 miles from Barrel Springs. - Limpia Station - Located 18 miles from Fort Davis in Limpia Canyon.
- Barela Springs Station - Located 10 miles from Limpia Station.
- Leon Springs or Hackberry Hole Station - Located 34 miles from Barela Springs.
- Camp Stockton - Located 8 1/2 miles from Leon Springs, 45 miles from Horsehead Crossing StationHorsehead CrossingHorsehead Crossing is a ford on the Pecos River, Crane County, Texas. Historically it was major landmark on the trail west as one of a few fordable sections of the Pecos in West Texas, and as a first source of water for about 75 miles on the route from the east.General location as marked by state...
Main 5th_Division Route
- Horse Head Crossing Station - On the Pecos RiverPecos RiverThe headwaters of the Pecos River are located north of Pecos, New Mexico, United States, at an elevation of over 12,000 feet on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Mora County. The river flows for through the eastern portion of that state and neighboring Texas before it...
, located 55 miles from Emigrant Crossing Station on the northern route and 45 miles from Camp Stockton on the Lower Road. A ferry was added to carry coaches across the Pecos River from August 1, 1859.- Mustang Waterholes Station - Later station between Horse Head Crossing and Head of Concho, nearest Horse Head Crossing.
- Llano Estacado Station - Later station midway between Horse Head Crossing and Head of Concho.
- Camp Johnston Station - Later station between Horse Head Crossing and Head of Concho, nearest Head of Concho.
- Head of Concho Station - Located 70 miles from Horsehead Crossing, no water on the route except at station.
- Grape Creek Station - Located 22 miles from Head of Concho.
- Colorado River Station - Later station between Grape Creek Station and Fort Chadbourne.
- Fort ChadbourneFort ChadbourneFort Chadbourne was a fort established by the United States Army on October 28, 1852, in what is now Coke County, Texas, to protect the western frontier and the Butterfield Overland Mail route. It was manned by the 8th U.S. Infantry...
- Located 30 miles from Grape Creek Station.
6th_Division
- Valley Creek Station - Located 12 miles north east of Fort Chadbourne, on the east bank of Valley Creek, about 1 mile northwest of Shep.
- Mountain Pass Station - Located 16 miles from Valley Creek Station, about 11 miles due south of MerkelMerkel, TexasMerkel is a town in Taylor County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,637 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Abilene, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Merkel is located 17 miles west of Abilene near the Interstate Highway 20....
. - Phantom Hill StationFort Phantom HillFort Phantom Hill was an United States Army and Confederate Army installation located at the Clear Fork of the Brazos River in Jones County, Texas. The fort was active from 1852 to 1853 and again from 1856 until the 1890s....
- Located 30 miles from Mountain Pass Station, about 10 miles north of present-day AbileneAbilene, TexasAbilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat of Taylor County...
. - Smith's Station - Located 12 miles from Phantom Hill Station, on the east bank of Chimney Creek.
- Clear Fork Station - Located 26 miles from Smith's Station, on the east bank of the Clear Fork of the Brazos RiverClear Fork Brazos River-References:**USGS Hydrologic Unit Map - State of Texas...
, a short distance above its confluence with Lambshead Creek, north of the later site of Fort GriffinFort GriffinFort Griffin was a Cavalry fort established in the late 1860s in the northern part of West Texas, specifically northwestern Shackelford County, to give settlers protection from early Comanche and Kiowa raids...
. - Francis' Station or Franz's Station - Located 13 miles from Clear Fork Station, about 3 miles north of Murray.
- Fort Belknap Station - Located 22 miles from Francis' Station.
- Murphey's Station - Located 16 miles from Fort Belknap, about 4 1/2 miles south of LovingLoving, TexasLoving is an unincorporated community in Young County, Texas, United States. It lies on State Highway 114 eighteen miles southeast of Olney in the northeastern part of the county...
. - Jacksboro StationJacksboro, TexasJacksboro is a city in Jack County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,533 at the 2000 census. Jacksboro is located at the junction of U.S...
- Located 19 miles from Murphey's Station. - Earhart's Station - Located 16 miles from Jackboro Station, west of Cundiff, TexasCundiff, TexasCundiff, Texas is a town ten miles northeast of Jacksboro in northeastern Jack County, Texas. It is named for Harrell Cundiff was one of the first settlers of Jack County.-History:Settlement in the region began in 1855...
on the west bank of Big Creek to 1860.- BridgeportBridgeport, TexasBridgeport is a city in Wise County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,309 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Bridgeport has a total area of 3.7 square miles , of which, 3.7 square miles of it is land and 0.04 square miles of it is...
- 1860 - March 1861 station and toll bridge on alterate route between Sherman and Jacksboro
- Bridgeport
- Conolly's Station - Located 16 miles from Earhart's Station, 4 miles northwest of Alvord, TexasAlvord, TexasAlvord is a town in Wise County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,007 at the 2000 census.Texas Railroad Commissioner Ernest O. Thompson, who also served as a mayor of Amarillo and became an expert on petroleum issues, was born in Alvord in 1892....
to 1860.- White Rock StationBrandon, TexasBrandon is an unincorporated community in Hill County in Central Texas. It is located at the intersection of State Highway 22 and FM 1243, approximately ten miles east of Hillsboro....
- 1860 - Feb. 1861 station on alterate route between Sherman and Jacksboro
- White Rock Station
- Davidsen's Station - Located 24 miles from Conolly's Station, 4 miles west of Era, TexasEra, TexasEra is an unincorporated community in Cooke County, Texas, United States.About 7 miles west of Era, there is the Liberman Broadcasting Tower Era, one of earth's tallest structures, and as of May 2007 was the tallest structure in Texas. The tower is named for its proximity to Era, though it is much...
to 1860.- DecaturDecatur, TexasDecatur is a city located in Wise County, Texas, United States. This city was named after Stephen Decatur, Jr. The population was 5,201 at the 2000 census. A July 1, 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 6,432. It is the county seat of Wise County...
- 1860-61 station on alterate route between Sherman and Jacksboro.
- Decatur
- Gainesville StationGainesville, TexasGainesville is a city in and the county seat of Cooke County, Texas, United States. The population was 15,538 at the 2000 census.-History:...
- Located 17 miles from Davidsen's Station to March 1861.- DentonDenton, TexasThe city of Denton is the county seat of Denton County, Texas in the United States. Its population was 119,454 according to the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the eleventh largest city in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex...
- March 1861 station on alterate route between Sherman and Jacksboro.
- Denton
- Diamond's StationWhitesboro, TexasWhitesboro is a city in Grayson County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,760 at the 2000 census. Whitesboro is named for its founder, Ambrose B...
- Located 15 miles from Gainesville Station to March 1861.- Pilot PointPilot Point, TexasPilot Point is a city in Denton County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,538 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Pilot Point is located at ....
- March 1861 station on alterate route between Sherman and Jacksboro.
- Pilot Point
- Sherman StationSherman, TexasSherman is a city in and the county seat of Grayson County, Texas, United States. The city's estimated population as of 2009 was 38,407. It is also one of two principal cities in the Sherman-Denison Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- Located 15 miles from Diamond's Station. - Colbert's FerryColbert's FerryColbert's Ferry was an important Red River crossing between Texas and Indian Territory from about 1850 to 1899. Both the Texas Road and the Butterfield Overland Mail route crossed here. It was located about a half mile southeast of present–day Colbert, Oklahoma.Benjamin F...
- Located 13 1/2 miles from Sherman Station, ferry crossing of the Red River to Indian TerritoryIndian TerritoryThe Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
.
See also
- Butterfield Overland Mail in CaliforniaButterfield Overland Mail in CaliforniaThe 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...
- 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 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...
- Pony ExpressPony ExpressThe Pony Express was a fast mail service crossing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the High Sierra from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, from April 3, 1860 to October 1861...