Butterfield Overland Despatch facts for kids
The Butterfield Overland Despatch was an important company that delivered mail and goods across the Great Plains in the 1860s. It also carried passengers, helping people travel across the American West. This service played a role in connecting the eastern parts of the United States with the growing settlements in the West, especially after gold was discovered.
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What Was the Butterfield Overland Despatch?
The Butterfield Overland Despatch was a company that offered express services. This means they carried important mail, packages, and people quickly across long distances. They operated during a time when travel was much slower and more difficult than it is today. Their main goal was to connect the Missouri River area with Denver, Colorado.
Why Was This Service Needed?
In 1858, people discovered a lot of gold near Pike's Peak in Colorado. This discovery led to a huge rush of people wanting to travel to Colorado. Many people hoped to find their fortune there. Because so many people were moving West, there was a big need for reliable ways to send mail, transport goods, and carry passengers. The Butterfield Overland Despatch was created to meet this demand.
Who Started the Despatch?
A man named David A. Butterfield organized the company. He had financial support from investors in New York City. Together, they created a "joint-stock" company. This type of company allows many people to invest money, sharing the risks and rewards. David A. Butterfield's vision was to create a fast and efficient service for the growing West.
The Route and Its Journey
The Butterfield Overland Despatch used a specific path called the Smoky Hill River route. This route was carefully mapped out in July 1865. Soon after the route was surveyed, coaches began operating regularly. These coaches were like early buses, carrying passengers and mail across the vast plains. Traveling by coach was often bumpy and challenging, but it was one of the fastest ways to cross the country at the time.
The Despatch Changes Hands
The Butterfield Overland Despatch did not operate for very long under David A. Butterfield's ownership. In March 1866, another powerful businessman named Ben Holladay bought the company. Holladay already owned a competing transportation business. He bought the Despatch because other express companies from the East were planning to take it over. These companies wanted to create a service that would stretch all the way from the Missouri River to Sacramento, California. By buying the Butterfield Overland Despatch, Ben Holladay expanded his own transportation empire across the American West.
