SCOTT #1120 OVERLAND MAIL 4 CENT

On September 16, 1858, the first Overland Mail shipment left St. Louis.  It arrived in San Francisco on October 10.  The service was contracted to John Butterfield’s Overland Mail Company by the US Post Office, and required him to make deliveries to San Francisco in less than 25 days.

US #1120 pictures John Butterfield’s Overland Mail route

The Overland Mail route was used every week until it was discontinued due to the start of the Civil War.  Wells Fargo had taken over the company from Butterfield at this point and created a new northern route to provide service during the war.