Customer Reviews

The Butterfield Overland Mail: Only Through Passenger on the First Westbound Stage

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
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While not exactly high adventure or edge of your seat reading, Ormsby's description of being the first through passenger on the Overland Mail Route nevertheless depicts history in the making for trans-continental communication.
Ormsby details road and climate conditions, passenger accommodations, geography, availability of forage, wood and water, speed of travel and miles covered in the first attempt to deliver the mail from St. Louis to San Francisco. The projected travel time was twenty-five days and this initial attempt was accomplished in twenty-three days. A commendable achievement for those days.
The author also examines how the government finally decided on the chosen route. Overall an insightful read of an important historical event of our times.

Very interesting reports about the short lived butterfield overland route, recommended reading.

An enlightening account of early travel in the US. What it was really like traveling by stagecoach across the midwest and western states during the late 1850s. Nothing like the images created by wester film makers.

Many times I have heard about the Butterfield Stage route, but had no impetus to delve into their story. These enterprising gentlement put together a bid to provide US Mail service between St Louis Missouri and San Francisco in the mid-1850s. A US government contract was the prize, and a sizable compensation was entirely possible. Several companies submitted competitive bids using different routes, but Butterfield's route across Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, the New Mexico and Arizona territories, and through California was selected on the basis of total mileage and year-round access.

This book provides a first person account by the only through-passenger on the official maiden run. Trappers, hunters, gold-seekers and others had made their way across the country using various routes and encountering various dangers. The Butterfield Stage Company cobbled together a series of stage stops where horses and drivers were changed, and perhaps meals were available. The stage did not stop. The maiden run had to prove the route was viable to provide one-way mail service between St Louis and San Francisco in 25 days. The steamship route evidently took a while longer. Within a brief period the transcontinental railroad took even less time to cross, so this book provides a snapshot of a snapshot in time of the progress of settling the West and the US in general.

The author was a newspaper reporter who sent the chapters of this story East for publication while en-route. The story only provides an account of the reporters life on the stage, with commentary about the scenery, the workings of the stage line, the rough life, and the opening of the West. If you enjoy historical accounts of everyday life, this book is a must-read.

I found the book to be very interesting. For anyone interested in the old days of travel it is a great book and outstanding insite into the way the old west was and not the way Hollywood shows it to be. Very interesting.

I haven't had the time to completely read the book, but I found the area where the town and state I was looking for was found - San Bernardino, California: Sadly the original route was changed and instead of going to the town of San Bernardino they only went through the lower part of San Bernardino County which at that time was what is now Riverside County. So, basically the information I was hoping to find on the San Bernardino town area of that time wasn't there.
But I'm sure there will be lots of interesting information about the trip across the country as I get to read more of the book.
Any suggestions as to publications that might include information on San Bernardino and Colton, California during the 1800s?