Dezertmagazine

When the 2,800-mile Butterfield Overland Mail Trail began operating in 1858, the amount of time it took to deliver mail from eastern states to California was dramatically reduced to just 25 days.

When compared to modern standards, that may seem incredibly slow, but at the time it was nearly twice as fast as other routes.

“In the mid-19th century, bringing the continent together by stageline from St. Louis to San Francisco with such unheard of speed elicited wonder and excitement and tremendous pride,” said Mary A. Helmich of California State Parks.

The mail line avoided the Rocky Mountains and heavy winter snows by traveling south along the “ox-bow route” through Texas, the New Mexico Territory, Fort Yuma, and Southern California.

The Butterfield Overland Stage Company, which was charged with delivering the mail along the route, was organized by businessman and financier John Butterfield of Utica, N.Y., after he was awarded a contract to operate the line from the federal government on Sept. 15, 1857.

The contract stated Butterfield was to be given $600,000 per year to transport mail twice a week between St. Louis and San Francisco. The contract, which was for a period of six years, required all mail to be delivered within 25 days.

Before mail could be carried over such a long distance, roads and bridges had to be repaired or constructed, water wells dug, and mountain passes cleared.

In addition, 150 stations had to be brought into operation, which included the hiring of 800 employees and the purchase of stagecoaches, wagons, horses, mules and feed.

The initial cost just to get the line up and running was over $1 million dollars.

After operation began in 1858, the mail almost always arrived within 25 days as required.

“However, the lack of water and conflicts with native Indian peoples continually plagued the Overland Mail throughout its existence,” Helmich said.

Understanding the difficulties facing his company, Butterfield once said, “Remember boys, nothing on God's earth must stop the United States Mail!”

By March of 1860, Butterfield Overland Stage Company was facing mounting debt, and was taken over entirely by Wells, Fargo & Co, which had invested in the venture along with American Express Co.

Then at the beginning of the Civil War in early 1861, Congress ordered the southern route discontinued. By June 30, service had completely ceased.

Since 1861, the trail has suffered from erosion and little remains of the stations.

“Those resources are under threat now,” said Aaron Mahr, National Park Service superintendent of the National Trails Intermountain Region.

“There are a lot of natural impacts that are occurring. There is also danger from vandalism and other types of unfortunate activities and inappropriate land usage on precious cultural resources that are having a damaging effect.”

What remains is now being analyzed by NPS, which has been tasked by Congress to conduct a feasibility study to determine if the trail should be designated as a component of the National Trail System, a network of scenic, historic, and recreation trails created by the National Trails System Act of 1968.

If the trail becomes designated, the federal government will be able to undertake preservation measures on public land. The designation would not give the federal government jurisdiction over portions of the trail located on privately owned land.

To become designated, the NPS will need to prove it has had an “impact on patterns of American history,” Mahr said. “Our preliminary research shows there is strong potential that the Butterfield does reach that level of national significance in history. That is part of the reason why Congress felt it was important for us to study the trail.”

The study is expected to be completed by 2014.

“As part of the study process, we do a series of public outreach efforts and we will be visiting approximately 13 communities along the length of the trail to hear public opinion and what the public really does desire in terms of potential designation for the trail,” Mahr said.

NPS representatives including Mahr were in Yuma recently to discuss the study with area residents.

“Obviously people in Yuma love their history,” he said. “They are very proud of their local resources and the contribution Yuma has played in the broad part of American history.”

So far, NPS has discovered many Yuma residents are in favor of adding the Butterfield to the National Trail System, Mahr said.

“There is great support here for understanding the broader history of communication and transportation and how that played a role in the development of the local economy, and the regional economy. There is a strong interest in protecting the history associated with the area, and there is obviously a strong contingency here that is going to work hard to protect trail resources.”

For more information, or to comment on the study, log on to http://parkplanning.nps.gov/.

Chris McDaniel can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 539-6849.