Overland stage travel from California to Texas in 1860 - "Distances from San Francisco to St. Louis from Station to Station" (Los Angeles Daily News, August 31, 1860)
TheButterfield Overland Mail was a transport and mail delivery system that employed stagecoaches that travelled on a specific route between St. Louis, Missouri and San Francisco, California and which passed through theNew Mexico Territory. It was created by theUnited States Congress on March 3, 1857, and operated until March 30, 1861. The route that was operated extended from where the ferry across theColorado River toFort Yuma Station,California was located, throughNew Mexico Territory viaTucson to theRio Grande andMesilla, New Mexico then south toFranklin, Texas, midpoint on the route. The New Mexico Territory mail route was divided into two divisions each under a superintendent. Tucson was the headquarters of the 3rd Division of the Butterfield Overland Mail Company. Franklin Station in the town of Franklin, (now El Paso, Texas), was the headquarters of the 4th Division.
Antelope Peak Station, a later station located 15.14 miles east of Mission Camp, at the foot ofAntelope Peak. It replaced Filibusters Camp Station, 6 miles to the west.[2]
Texas Hill Station, a later station located 10.98 miles east of Mohawk Station, replaced Grizwell's Station.[2]
Griswell's Station – Located 12 miles from Peterman's Station, later abandoned.
Flap-Jack Ranch – Located 15 miles from Griswell's Station,[3] later calledGrinnel's Ranch or Station, located 27.11 miles from Mohawk Station, 16.13 miles from Texas Hill Station, sometimes called Stanwix Ranch andStanwix Station by Union Army reports.[4]
Burke's Station, a later station 9.43 miles from Grinnel's Ranch midway to Oatman Flat Station.[2]
Goodsight Station, later station, located in New Mexico, 14 miles east of the Cooke's Spring Station.
Rough and Ready Station, later station, located in New Mexico, 22 miles east of Goodsight Station.
Picacho Station – Located in the village ofPicacho, 15 miles east of the Rough and Ready Station and 52 miles from Cooke's Springs. This station had the last natural water available on the route until Cooke's Springs, although the later intervening stations had hauled water and constructed earthen tanks to catch rainwater.
Mesilla – Located 6 miles, east of Picacho Station. Mesilla was almost exactly midway betweenSt. Louis, Missouri andSan Francisco, California and was the most important Overland Stage Station between the two points. At this time Mesilla was on the west bank of theRio Grande and was the point where the route crossed the river.
5th Division Stations inNew Mexico Territory. These were located on Captain Pope's New Road to Franklin (1st route used, until August 1, 1859, when the route was moved to the Lower Road.)
Cornudas de Los Alamos Station – An original station in New Mexico Territory. Located 36 miles east of Hueco Tanks, 16 miles east of Ojos de los Alamos Station. Located 28 miles northwest ofCrow Springs Station in Texas, a later relay station midway between Cornudas andPinery Station.
^The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. L, United States. War Dept, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1897, p. 121, this station shortened the route between Dragoon Springs and Apache pass by 9 miles.
^The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. L, United States. War Dept, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1897, p. 122
