Butterfield Overland Mail in New Mexico Territory
The 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 3, 1857, and operated until March 30, 1861. The route that was operated extended from Fort Yuma, across the Colorado River into New Mexico Territory via, Tucson to the Rio Grande and Mesilla, New Mexico then south to Franklin, Texas, mid point on the route. The New Mexico Territory mail route was divided into two divisions each under a superintendent.
Stations
List of stations within two divisions: [1]
3rd_Division
- Swiveler's Station - Located 20 miles east of Fort Yuma, subsequently post office for nearby Gila City.
- Fillibusters Camp - Located 18 miles from Swiveler's Station.
- Peterman's Station - Located 19 miles from Fillibuster Camp, later called Mohawk Station.
- Griswell's Station - Located 12 miles from Peterman's Station, later abandoned.
- Flap-Jack Ranch - Located 15 miles from Griswell's Station,[2] later called Grinnel’s Ranch or Station, located 27.11 miles from Mohawk Station, sometimes called Stanwix Ranch and Stanwix Station by Union Army reports.[3]
- Burke's Station a later station 9.43 miles from Grinnel’s Ranch midway to Oatmans Flat Station.
- Oatmans Flat Station - Located 20 miles from Flap-Jack Ranch.[4]
- Murderer's Grave Station - Located 20 miles from Oatmans Flat Station, later Kenyon Station.
- Gila Ranch - Located 17 miles from Murderer's Grave Station.
- Desert Station - Later station located 22 miles from Gila Ranch.
- Maricopa Wells Station - Located 40 miles from Gila Ranch.
- Casa Blanca Station - Station established in the latter part of 1858, located 10 miles from Maricopa Wells.
- Socatoon Station - Located 22 miles from Maricopa Wells and twelve miles from Casa Blanca Station.
- Blue Water Station - Later station located 22.1 miles from Socatoon Station.
- Pechacho or Picacho Station - Located 37 miles from Socatoon Station, 14.9 miles from Blue Water.
- Pointer Mountain Station - Located 22 miles from Picacho Station.
- Tucson Station - Located 18 miles from Pointer Mountain.
4th_Division
- Seneca Springs Station - Located 35 miles from Tucson, no water on the route except at station.
- San Pedro Station - Located in Arizona, 24 miles from Seneca Springs, no water on the route except at station.
- Dragoon Springs Station - Located in Arizona, 23 miles from San Pedro Station, no water except at station.
- Apache Pass Station - Located in Arizona, 49 miles from Dragoon Springs, no water except at station.
- Stein's Peak Station - Located in New Mexico, 35 miles from Apache Pass, no water except at station.
- Soldiers Farewell Station - Located in New Mexico, 42 miles from Stein's Peak Station, no water except at station.
- Ojo de Vaca Station - Located in New Mexico, 14 miles from Soldiers Farewell Station.
- Miembre's River Station - Located in New Mexico, 16 miles from Ojo de Vaca. Later Mowry City, New Mexico.
- Cooke's Springs Station - Located in New Mexico, 18 miles from the Miembre's River Station, near the site of the later Fort Cummings.
- Pecacho Station - Located in New Mexico, 52 miles from Cooke's Springs, no water except at station
- Fort Filmore Station - Located in New Mexico, 14 miles from Pecacho Station, nearby Fort Filmore.
- Cottonwoods Station - Located, 25 miles from Fort Filmore.
- Franklin Station - Located in Texas, 22 miles from Cottonwoods Station.
See also
References
- ^ List of Stations from New York Times, October 14 1858, Itinerary of the Route
- ^ Flap Jack Stage Station, Arizona, c. 1900, from Sharlot Hall Museum Transportation Image Collection; Sharlot Hall Museum Transportation Collection
- ^ Stanwix Stage Station, Maricopa County, Arizona, c. 1873, from Sharlot Hall Museum Transportation Image Collection; Sharlot Hall Museum Transportation Collection
- ^ Ruins of Oatman Flat Stage Station, Oatman, AZ, c. 1910, from Sharlot Hall Museum Transportation Image Collection; Sharlot Hall Museum Transportation Collection
External links