Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter One: Westward Expansion, 1803-1848

1803 Louisiana Purchase
The Fur Trade Opens Trails into the Louisiana Purchase
The Fur Trade Moves Westward to the Rockies
Further Westward Expansion, 1845 to 1848
Settling the Western Territories
Early Letter Communications with the West
Evolution of Postal Communications

Chapter Two: Santa Fe Trail Mail, 1821-1850

The Santa Fe Trail
The Texan Santa Fe Expedition of 1841
Kearny’s Army of the West, 1846 to 1847
The Army of the West Captures Santa Fe, 1846
Kearny Divides the Army of the West, 1846
The Occupation of Santa Fe

Chapter Three: Oregon Mails, 1830-1848

The Disputed Oregon Territory
History of American Interests in the Pacific Northwest
History of British Interests in the Pacific Northwest
The Hudson’s Bay Company Communication System
Overview of Oregon Mail Routes before 1849
Mail via Cape Horn, Direct
Mail via Cape Horn and California
Mail via Cape Horn and Hawaii
Mail via the Mexico Route
The HBC Overland Brigade Route
Overland Mails between Missouri and Oregon
Postal Service of the Provisional Government of Oregon
The Start of the U.S. Postal Service in Oregon

Chapter Four: California Mails, 1821-1849

Early American Settlement of California
Early Overland Trips to California
Emigration Begins to Build, 1843 to 1848
California Becomes Part of the United States, 1846 to 1848
Kearny’s California Regional Mail Service
Overview of Transcontinental Mail Routes before 1849
Mail via Cape Horn, 1821 to 1835
Mail via Mexico, 1824 to 1846
Mail via Panama, 1846 to 1849
Overland Transcontinental Mails
Military Courier Overland Mail
Gold Shipments from California
Private Newspaper Overland Mails to Missouri, 1848
Other Private Mails, 1848

Chapter Five: Central Overland Mail, 1847-1850

The Mormon Church Migrates West
Mail between Salt Lake City and the Missouri River
The Babbitt Special Contract Mails
Estill Express
Trail Mail on the Platte River Road
Mail between Salt Lake City and California

Chapter Six: Mail Via Panama, 1848-1861

United States Mail Steamship Company Contract
Pacific Mail Steamship Company Contract
Transit across the Isthmus of Panama
Early Contract Period, 1848 to 1851
Contract Letters Carried via Panama, 1848 to 1851
Mail Agents on Steamships, 1849 to 1852
Communications between Europe and the West Coast, 1849 to 1851
Contract Mails to and from Oregon, 1849 to 1851
Post Office Mails carried by Opposition Steamships, 1849 to 1850
Middle Contract Period, 1851 to 1855
Contract Letters Carried via Panama, 1851 to 1855
San Francisco Letter bag Operators, 1853 to 1858
Late Contract Period, 1855 to 1861
Contract Letters Carried via Panama, 1855 to 1859
End of the 1847 Ocean Mail Contracts in 1859
Non-Contract Mail via Panama

Chapter Seven: Central Overland Mail, 1850-1861

Contract Route between Salt Lake City and Missouri
Woodson Contract, 1850 to 1854
Magraw Contract, 1854 to 1856
Kimball Contract, 1857
Miles Contract, 1857 to 1858
Hockaday/COC&PPE Contract, 1858 to 1861
Contract Route between Salt Lake City and California
First Chorpenning Contract, 1851 to 1854
Second Chorpenning Contract, 1854 to 1858
Third Chorpenning Contract, 1858 to 1860
COC&PPE Company Contract, 1860 to 1861
Contract Route between Salt Lake City and Oregon
Brown & Torrence Contract, 1851 to 1854

Chapter Eight: Mail Via Nicaragua, 1851-1857

The Vanderbilt Independent Line and the Accessory Transit Company
The Walker Filibuster in Nicaragua, 1855 to 1857
Mail Carried via the Nicaragua Route, 1851 to 1857

Chapter Nine: Southern Overland Mail, 1857-1861

Early Communication with Fort Yuma
“Jackass Mail” Contract Route, 1857 to 1860
Butterfield Contract Mail Route, 1858 to 1861
Butterfield Mail Prior to the December 17 Overland Default Order
Post Office Directive Handstamps Prior to the December 17 Default Order
Butterfield Mail After the December 17 Overland Default Order
Post Office Directive Handstamps After the December 17 Default Order
The End of the Southern Butterfield Mail Rout

Chapter Ten: Santa Fe Contract Mail, 1850-1861

The First Mail Contract between Santa Fe and Independence, 1850 to 1854
The Second Mail Contract between Santa Fe and Independence, 1854 to 1858
The Third Mail Contract between Santa Fe and Independence, 1858 to 1862
Contract Mail between Neosho and Albuquerque, 1858 to 1859
Contract Mail between Kansas City and Stockton, 1858 to 1859

Chapter Eleven: Mail Via Tehuantepec, 1858-1859

The Route via Tehuantepec
Early Interest in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
The Louisiana Tehuantepec Company Sailing Schedule
Mail Carried via the Tehuantepec Route, 1858 to 1859
End of the Louisiana Tehuantepec Company Mail Contract

Chapter Twelve: Colorado Mail Routes, 1858-1861

Opening the Pikes Peak Region
The Leavenworth & Pike’s Peak Company
The Leavenworth & Pike’s Peak Company Expands
The “Phantom” U.S. Mail Contract
Further Changes with the Leavenworth & Pikes Peak Company
Further Efforts for a U.S. Contract Mail
The Only Game in Town
COC&PPE Takes Over
Competition Enters the Market

Chapter Thirteen: Transcontinental Pony Express Mail, 1860-1861

The First Rate Period – April to August 1860
The Second Rate Period – August 1860 to April 1861
The Third Rate Period – April to June 1861
The Fourth Rate Period – July to October 1861

Appendix A: Rocky Mountain Trip List, 1804 to 1843

Appendix B: Oregon Ship Sailings, 1824 to 1848

Appendix C: Via Panama Sailings, 1849 to 1861

Appendix D: Central Overland Trip List, 1850 to 1861

Appendix E: Via Nicaragua Sailings, 1851 to 1856

Appendix F: Southern Overland Trip List, 1858 to 1861

Appendix G: United States Postal Rates (simplified), 1816 to 1861

References