Butterfield Overland Mail facts for kids

"The Overland Mail Coach," illustration from Arizona, As It Is (1877)

The Butterfield Overland Mail was a famous stagecoach service in the United States. It ran from 1858 to 1861, carrying people and U.S. Mail. The route started in two eastern cities, Memphis, Tennessee, and St. Louis, Missouri. Both routes met in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and then continued all the way to San Francisco, California.

The journey covered a huge area, passing through Indian Territory (now Oklahoma), Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Before this service, mail to the Far West was delivered by the San Antonio and San Diego Mail Line. In 2023, this historic route was officially named a national historic trail.

Building the Butterfield Overland Mail Route

The idea for the Butterfield Overland Mail came from a need for better communication. People wanted a faster way to send mail between the eastern and western parts of the United States. In 1857, the U.S. government asked companies to propose routes for an overland mail service. They wanted bids for routes starting from the Mississippi River and heading west.

John Butterfield: The Man Behind the Mail Service

John Butterfield's drawing and signature

John Butterfield was born in New York in 1801. He started working with stagecoaches around 1820. He began as a driver and eventually owned many stagecoach lines in New York. By 1857, John Butterfield had 37 years of experience in the stagecoach business. This experience was a key reason why he was chosen for the big mail contract.

Winning the Big Mail Contract

Nine companies tried to get the mail contract. But none of the big express companies like American Express or Wells Fargo bid. They didn't have experience running stagecoach lines yet. The contract, worth $600,000 a year, was given to John Butterfield. His company was officially named the Overland Mail Company. This was the longest mail contract ever given in the United States.

The main owners of the company, besides John Butterfield, were also directors. Many of them lived near Butterfield's home in Utica, New York. The Postmaster General, Aaron Brown, chose Butterfield because he believed Butterfield and his team had the "greater ability, qualification and experience than anybody else."

The chosen route was called the "Oxbow Route." It was about 600 miles (966 km) longer than other routes. But it had a big advantage: it usually didn't get snow, which made it easier to travel year-round.

The Route and Its Builders

A map showing the stage routes of the Butterfield Overland Mail Company

The contract for the mail service started on September 16, 1858. The route was split into eastern and western parts, with Franklin, Texas (later El Paso), as the middle point. These main parts were then divided into smaller sections. Each section had a superintendent in charge.

Designing the Butterfield Trail

John Butterfield trusted two of his most experienced employees, Marquis L. Kenyon and John Butterfield Jr., to set up the trail. In 1858, they helped choose the exact path and locations for the stage stations. Kenyon had a lot of experience with stagecoaches himself. He had started as a driver and worked his way up to owning many stage lines in New York.

After winning the contract, Butterfield sent Kenyon and John Jr. to San Francisco in November 1857. Their job was to map out the trail and pick spots for the stations. They traveled by mule, covering about 40 miles (64 km) a day. Another group started from St. Louis around the same time. Both groups met in El Paso, Texas. John Butterfield Jr. later drove the very first stagecoach over the route.

Making the Southern Overland Trail Better

The Butterfield Trail was not just for mail; it also helped people move west. John Butterfield made the trail much better by adding improved roads and water sources. He built stage stations with water every so often. Even after the service stopped in 1861 due to the Civil War, the trail remained important. It was so well-built that it stayed mostly the same until railroads took over in 1880. That's why this route is still often called "The Butterfield Trail."

The trail was built in two main parts. The 462-mile (744 km) section from San Francisco to Los Angeles was already somewhat developed. Existing buildings like ranch houses were used as stage stations. One famous example is Vallecito, which is now a historic site. The hardest part for Kenyon was building the trail east of Los Angeles, through the open desert.

Improvements Along the Route

Waterman L. Ormsby, a reporter who rode the first stagecoach going west, wrote about the many improvements. He mentioned new sections of road in Texas that saved many miles. For example, a new road from Grape Creek to the Concho River saved 30 miles (48 km). The New Pass between Los Angeles and Fort Tejon, California, was also greatly improved.

At the start, there were 139 stations. By the time the service ended, 36 more had been added, making a total of 175 stations. Many stations also grew crops, which helped supply the stage line.

Water was crucial in the desert. Butterfield's company dug out springs and waterholes to hold more water. They built cisterns (tanks) at some stations. Water wagons were used to bring water from far away to fill these cisterns. At the Hueco Tanks in Texas, Butterfield enlarged the tanks to hold a year's supply of water.

Bridges were also built. For example, a heavy bridge was built across the Blue River in Indian Territory (Oklahoma). There were also two bridges in Arizona, across the San Simon River and the San Pedro River.

President James Buchanan congratulated John Butterfield in 1858. He said the trail was a "glorious triumph for civilization and the Union." He believed that settlements would follow the road, connecting the East and West. This proved true, as many more people used the improved trail to move west.

San Francisco to Memphis Route

The route from San Francisco to Fort Smith was the same for both eastern destinations. The travel time from Fort Smith to Memphis was similar to St. Louis. The route to Memphis often used different ways to travel, like steamboats on rivers when the water was high enough. Sometimes the whole trip across eastern Arkansas was by stagecoach.

Butterfield's Vehicles

No passenger on a Butterfield stagecoach was ever killed by outlaws. However, some people died in accidents because the mules or mustangs pulling the coaches were often wild and untrained. Butterfield's rules said that no money, jewelry, or other valuable items could be carried. This meant there was no need for a "shotgun" rider next to the driver. When a reporter asked a driver if he had any weapons, the driver said, "No, I don't have any; there's no danger." However, many passengers carried their own weapons, especially in Comanche and Apache areas.

Mail Stagecoach

These coaches were pulled by animals and carried both passengers and mail. They had strong wooden frames, fancy doors, and comfortable seats. Western models often didn't have glass windows because of the rough conditions. The roof was strong enough to carry luggage. A canvas-covered area at the back held luggage and mailbags. Butterfield used these stagecoaches on about 30% of the Southern Overland Trail, mostly at the beginning and end of the route.

Stage (Celerity) Wagon

Butterfield's stage (celerity) wagon, partly designed by John Butterfield. Sixty-six were used from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Los Angeles, California.

Pinery Station in Guadalupe Mountains National Park

The word "celerity" means speed. These wagons were much lighter than stagecoaches, about 60% of the weight. They were built for rough frontier trails, sandy areas, and steep hills. They were open on the sides, without doors or windows. They usually had a canvas top and curtains that could be rolled down to block dust. Butterfield's company used these wagons on 70% of the trail, covering 1,920 miles (3,090 km) between Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Los Angeles, California.

Building Butterfield's Stages

Newspapers in 1858 reported that Butterfield's stagecoaches and wagons were made by the J.S. & E.A. Abbot Co. in New Hampshire. A total of 100 stages were ordered. A report from September 1858 said the road was "stocked with substantially-built Concord spring wagons." These were the famous "Concord" coaches.

A Memphis newspaper article from July 1858 described how the stages were delivered. It said they were "manufactured at Concord, New Hampshire, according to directions given by Col. John Butterfield." They could hold six to nine passengers. Another article said 60 more were coming.

A reporter named Ormsby described the "celerity wagons": "They are made much like the express wagons... only they are heavier built, have tops made of canvas, and are set on leather straps instead of springs." He noted that each wagon had three seats that could fold down to form a bed for four to ten people.

The same stagecoach or driver was not used for the entire 2,700-mile (4,345 km) trip. They were changed often to prevent fatigue and breakdowns. Butterfield had horses, mules, and a wagon or coach for every 30 miles (48 km) of the route.

About 34 mail stagecoaches were used on the more settled parts of the trail. Around 66 stage (celerity) wagons, partly designed by John Butterfield, were used on the frontier sections.

Other Wagons

Butterfield also used water wagons and freight wagons. Water wagons were very important, especially in dry areas. They carried water from distant sources to stage stations that were built on straighter parts of the trail, away from natural waterholes. For example, at Ewell's Stage Station in Arizona, a water wagon brought water from Dos Cabezas Spring.

One newspaper described the water wagons used in the Llanos Estecados (Staked Plains) in Texas. This desert section was 75 miles (121 km) wide. The company used "large tin boilers, similar in shape to the boilers of a steamboat," pulled by six mules. These trains regularly brought water to stations, where large reservoirs stored it for passengers, employees, and animals. This was a very expensive way to get water, but it was necessary.

Stage Drivers and Animals

Many of Butterfield's employees, including the stage drivers, came from New York State. A reporter noted that the employees were "courteous, civil, and attentive." Most drivers were experienced, though some were a bit too fast.

Butterfield's stages were usually pulled by four horses or mules. Many reports describe problems with the wild, unbroken mules and mustangs used between Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Los Angeles, California. Even though the animals were wild, the company usually managed to stay on schedule. One reporter described how difficult it was to get the horses to move at some stations. They often had to be held by someone until the driver was ready to go.

Sleeping on the Stages

The 25-day trip on the Butterfield stages did not stop for passengers to sleep in beds. They had to sleep inside the moving stages. Many passengers shared funny stories about trying to sleep. A common problem was losing their hats because the open-sided wagons offered little protection from the wind. A historian noted that stopping at a Butterfield stage station was like a "NASCAR pit stop" because everything was done so quickly.

Operations and Changes

Overland mail commemorative stamp issued by the U.S. Post Office, 100th Anniversary, October 10, 1958

The Butterfield Overland Mail Company had a six-year contract for U.S. Mail, starting September 16, 1858. The first stagecoach going east left San Francisco just after midnight on September 14, 1858. The mail reached St. Louis in about 24 days. The first stagecoach going west left Tipton, Missouri, on September 16, 1858. For the first 160 miles (257 km) from St. Louis to Tipton, the mail was carried by railroad.

The company made two trips a week. At first, the fare from San Francisco to the end of the railroad was $100, but it soon increased to $200.

Pony Express and the Overland Mail Company

The Pony Express became part of the Overland Mail Company's contract in 1861. The new contract required a semi-weekly (twice a week) Pony Express service. It had to deliver mail in 10 days for most of the year and 12 days in winter. The government got 5 pounds (2.3 kg) of mail carried for free. The public could send letters for up to $1 per half ounce. The total payment for all services was $1,000,000 per year. The Pony Express stopped running in October 1861 when the telegraph line was completed.

Near the end of the Butterfield service on the Southern Overland Trail in March 1861, John Butterfield was voted out as president. This happened because the company wasn't making enough money for the owners. He still owned shares in the company.

Moving to the Central Overland Trail

Because the Civil War was about to begin, the Butterfield Overland Mail Company was ordered to move its operations to the Union-controlled Central Overland Trail. The last mail bag left St. Louis, Missouri, on March 18, 1861, and arrived in San Francisco on April 13, 1861.

Much of the equipment and many employees were moved to the new central route. This allowed the company to continue operating from Carson City, Nevada, to Salt Lake City, Utah.

After the Butterfield route was abandoned in the South, some parts were used by other companies, but with limited success due to the Civil War. Wells Fargo continued its stagecoach runs in more northern areas until the Transcontinental Railroad was finished in 1869.

Several battles of the American Civil War happened at or near former Butterfield mail posts. These included the Battle of Stanwix Station and the Battle of Picacho Pass. There were also clashes between Apache forces and soldiers on the route.

Modern Remnants

Today, you can still find parts of the Butterfield Overland Mail route.

• In San Diego County, two stage stations still exist: the Oak Grove Butterfield Stage Station and Warner's Ranch. Both are National Historic Landmarks.
• The Elkhorn Tavern in Pea Ridge National Military Park was rebuilt after the Civil War. It's on a section of the Old Wire Road that still exists in Northwest Arkansas.
• In Arkansas, the town of Pottsville grew around Potts Inn, a popular stop built in 1859. It is now a museum.
• East of Franklin, Texas, you can still see the remains of a stagecoach stop at the Hueco Tanks State Historic Site.
• At the top of Guadalupe Peak in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, there's a stainless steel pyramid. It was put there in 1958 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Butterfield Overland Mail.

National Historic Trail

On March 30, 2009, President Barack Obama signed a law to study making the Butterfield Overland Mail route a National Historic Trail. The National Park Service studied it and decided it would be a good idea.

In 2022, Congress passed a bill officially naming the Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail. The trail covers 3,292 miles (5,300 km) across eight states. The National Park Service will now create a plan to manage and protect this important historical route.

Images for kids

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  Butterfield marker in Sherman, Texas

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  Fort Chadbourne reconstructed stage station

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  Fort Chadbourne museum

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  Fort Belknap (Texas) Historical Marker

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  Advertising poster for a similar but later service between California and Oregon

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  Guadalupe Peak summit, with a pyramid commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Butterfield Overland Mail

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  Butterfield historical marker at Apache Pass, Arizona

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  Butterfield Overland Mail trail remnant at Apache Pass, Arizona

See also

• Southern Emigrant Trail
• San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line
• Butterfield Overland Mail in California
  • Butterfield Overland Mail in Baja California
• Butterfield Overland Mail in New Mexico Territory
• Butterfield Overland Mail in Texas
• Butterfield Overland Mail in Indian Territory
• Butterfield Overland Mail in Arkansas and Missouri
• Pony Express
• Apache Pass Station
• Butterfield Overland Mail Company Los Angeles Building