36:
1162:. In May 1861, this company was given a new contract for the year ending June 30, 1862, to operate a mail service over the entire route from San Antonio via Camp Stockton, to Tucson and points in California. An attempt was made to fulfil the contract, beginning April 1, but with the development of the Civil War, and Apache attacks on the stations and coaches of the line resulting from the
1284:
1138:
Company began operating their stageline over the road, and using the station sites pioneered by Birch and Woods from El Paso, Texas, to Warner's Ranch, California. The San
Antonio–San Diego Line was not absorbed by the Butterfield line but on December 1, 1858, the portion of the route between El Paso
1121:
On July 9, 1857, 17 days after Birch concluded his contract, the first mail left San
Antonio and was carried on horseback, arriving at San Diego from San Antonio in 53 days. The second mail, which left San Antonio July 24, was sent by coach and arrived in San Diego 38 days later. The average rate of
1125:
Following the death of Birch at sea before the first mail reached its destination, his contract was transferred to George H. Giddings and R. E. Doyle. Woods was retained as superintendent with company headquarters in New York. Only about 40 trips were ever made over the entire route before the
283:, the dividing point on the route, where the eastbound and westbound mails met and turned back. Here was erected an adobe house and corral. During the company's existence it employed 65 men in all capacities, and owned 50 coaches and 400 mules.
235:
in San
Francisco. On the first mail run, they were setting up the line as the mule trains and coaches journeyed west from San Antonio. Superintendent Woods prepared a self-contained outfit for this journey across the unsettled country of Texas,
270:
Water holes were set up at 30 mi (48 km) intervals but many were unmanned and actual stations sometimes were separated by as much as 100 mi (160 km). These first stations were at most a brush corral and a
1258:
San
Antonio-San Diego Mail Line Stations and Mileage between them, derived from the newspaper article by a traveler to the Gadsden Purchase printed in the Sacramento Daily Union, 11 January 1858, p.4, A TRIP TO THE GADSDEN
1166:, the contractors were compelled to give up. The eastern portion of the line was curtailed June 30, 1861. The end came when the Camp Stockton to Tucson part of the line was discontinued August 2, 1861.
1287:, Shows Southern Immigrant Trail from Fort Yuma across the desert in Baja California to Southern California, with location of coach route between Carrizo Creek, Vallecito to San Diego, circa 1854.
160:. Birch was awarded the first contract for overland service on the "Southern Route", designated Route 8076. This contract required a semi-monthly service in four-horse coaches, scheduled to leave
635:
1150:
which was put on a weekly basis. Between Camp
Stockton and El Paso it was put on a weekly basis. The service was thus improved to a weekly basis all the way from New Orleans to San Francisco.
275:
to house the keeper, while most were merely camping places at springs or stream crossings; camps would be made where the coaches stopped for the night. Only the three at San
Antonio,
1158:
After the final suspension of the
Butterfield Overland mail, March 12, 1861, the San Antonio and San Diego Mail Line reorganized and merged its interests under the title of the
642:
220:
1139:
and Fort Yuma was cut from the service because it duplicated the service of the
Butterfield Butterfield Overland. The service from San Antonio to El Paso and from
216:
909:
1268:
The Texas
Almanac for 1859, Richardson & Company, Galvezton, 1858, pp. 139-150 OVERLAND MAIL ROUTE BETWEEN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, AND SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.
628:
1285:
R.S. Williamson, General Map of
Explorations and Surveys in California, A.O.P. Nicholson, Washington, 1861, from davidrumsey.com accessed September 29, 2013
1146:
During 1860, the west end of the route from Fort Yuma to San Diego was ended, leaving nothing but the 367 mi (591 km) portion from San Antonio to
53:
621:
100:
1205:
Beth Schneider, "GIDDINGS, GEORGE HENRY," Handbook of Texas Online , accessed November 30, 2013. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
228:
72:
1315:
1310:
614:
576:
930:
888:
17:
1006:
79:
1305:
1335:
1330:
763:
1320:
569:
86:
157:
1095:
975:
68:
1102:
999:
503:
496:
1222:
1325:
1267:
205:
1279:
1218:
Celebrating the West on the Move, 150th Anniversary of the Arrival of the Overland Mail, San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line
591:
279:
and San Diego had substantial buildings. The largest and most important station between El Paso and San Diego was at
119:
93:
426:
1280:
California stations of the San Antonio to San Diego Mail route map.pdf from parks.ca.gov, accessed Nov. 14, 2013
188:. Then one would take the San Antonio and San Diego Line 1,476 mi (2,375 km) from San Antonio via the
440:
57:
1027:
735:
153:
477:, and second crossing Pedro or Devil's River, 16.39 mi (26.38 km) / 75.35 mi (121.26 km)
184:. There one transferred to a daily line of four-horse mail coaches traveling 140 mi (230 km) to
895:
384:
1300:
1074:
826:
286:
1135:
1020:
258:(which was the military use for the same type of vehicle at that time), rather than the better known
961:
791:
562:
489:
391:
189:
1088:
938:
865:
850:
798:
280:
197:
46:
1245:
accessed November 12, 2013), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History,
1238:
923:
742:
680:
607:
1185:
983:
916:
232:
145:
1204:
1147:
1143:
to San Diego was upgraded from semi-monthly to weekly trips and its subsidy was increased.
784:
770:
444:
237:
8:
968:
749:
719:
704:
419:
241:
224:
193:
1242:
1013:
954:
881:
527:
433:
317:
259:
185:
1081:
1034:
650:
458:
403:
328:
1215:
287:
Table of distances from one station or watering-place to another from starting point
857:
541:
181:
180:, one could take a five-times-a-week mail steamer to 540 mi (870 km) to
1226:
805:
398:
338:
152:, in operation between 1857 and 1861. It was created, organized and financed by
688:
673:
511:
465:
1042:
1294:
1163:
819:
812:
756:
711:
555:
451:
370:
345:
209:
168:
on the ninth and the 24th of each month, with 30 days allowed for each trip.
666:
583:
534:
377:
352:
321:
1195:, San Diego Historical Society Quarterly, Spring 1969, Volume 15, Number 2
1058:
902:
777:
548:
473:
366:
305:
245:
227:. 87 watering places and stage stations were organized by Superintendent
177:
161:
359:
331:
310:
255:
149:
141:
1140:
201:
165:
1112:, 20 mi (32 km). 125 mi (201 km) total distance
35:
1054:
San Antonio to San Diego total, 1,475.76 mi (2,375.01 km)
595:, 18.86 mi (30.35 km) / 157.99 mi (254.26 km)
276:
987:, 32.24 mi (51.89 km) / 95.12 mi (153.08 km)
407:, 7.13 mi (11.47 km) / 123.34 mi (198.50 km)
1122:
travel over the route was about 40 mi (64 km) a day.
1116:
834:
692:, 14.14 mi (22.76 km) / 47.49 mi (76.43 km)
244:
with almost no existing infrastructure. The vehicles used were
1246:
1129:
1249:; crediting Texas State Historical Association, Denton, Texas
272:
654:, 35 mi (56 km) / 150.99 mi (242.99 km)
265:
515:, 3 mi (4.8 km) / 96.94 mi (156.01 km)
204:. Once on the Pacific Coast the passenger could board a
1059:
Stagecoach Road from Carrizo Creek Station to San Diego
1243:
http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth123765/
942:, 16 mi (26 km) / 190 mi (310 km)
1188:
The Jackass Mail—San Antonio and San Diego Mail Line
1046:, 5 mi (8.0 km) / 85 mi (137 km)
869:, 29 mi (47 km) / 99 mi (159 km)
838:, 8 mi (13 km) / 305 mi (491 km)
215:
To accomplish this Birch entered a partnership with
723:, 6 mi (9.7 km) / 50 mi (80 km)
60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1292:
1220:, Old Town San Diego State Historic Park website
905:, 1st crossing of Gila, 15 mi (24 km)
1153:
1117:Record of the San Antonio-to-San Diego route
1239:Table of distances from Texas Almanac, 1859
1130:Supplanted by the Butterfield Overland Mail
223:that already ran over half of the route to
884:, across Jornada, 40 mi (64 km)
120:Learn how and when to remove this message
1181:
1179:
266:Stations, water stops and camping places
1316:Historic trails and roads in New Mexico
1311:Historic trails and roads in California
14:
1293:
1176:
1103:Rancho Santa Maria de Los Peñasquitos
1070:to Vallecito, 18 mi (29 km)
1306:Historic trails and roads in Arizona
1216:Victor Walsh, State Park Historian,
58:adding citations to reliable sources
29:
1331:Postal history of the United States
1241:, Book, ca. 1859; digital images, (
206:California Steam Navigation Company
24:
1321:Historic trails and roads in Texas
490:Head of San Pedro or Devil's River
25:
1347:
1273:
233:Adams & Company of California
69:"San Antonio–San Diego Mail Line"
1193:The Journal of San Diego History
34:
1336:San Antonio–San Diego Mail Line
978:, 20.94 mi (33.70 km)
971:, 21.94 mi (35.31 km)
645:, 31.42 mi (50.57 km)
638:, 19.74 mi (31.77 km)
631:, 32.83 mi (52.83 km)
624:, 13.58 mi (21.85 km)
551:, 16.26 mi (26.17 km)
544:, 32.26 mi (51.92 km)
506:, 30.44 mi (48.99 km)
461:, 15.73 mi (25.31 km)
447:, 10.22 mi (16.45 km)
436:, 12.61 mi (20.29 km)
394:, 15.23 mi (24.51 km)
387:, 10.27 mi (16.53 km)
334:, 25.28 mi (40.68 km)
134:San Antonio–San Diego Mail Line
45:needs additional citations for
18:San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line
1252:
1232:
1209:
1198:
1080:Rancho Valle de San Felipe to
617:, 8.42 mi (13.55 km)
572:, 8.88 mi (14.29 km)
558:, 8.58 mi (13.81 km)
429:, 8.86 mi (14.26 km)
380:, 9.04 mi (14.55 km)
373:", 6.08 mi (9.78 km)
362:, 8.46 mi (13.62 km)
341:, 8.38 mi (13.49 km)
313:, 6.53 mi (10.51 km)
13:
1:
1169:
676:, 5.45 mi (8.77 km)
669:, 24.8 mi (39.9 km)
565:, 19.4 mi (31.2 km)
530:, 4.29 mi (6.90 km)
492:, 19.5 mi (31.4 km)
454:, 2.54 mi (4.09 km)
348:, 3.94 mi (6.34 km)
171:
27:Stagecoach and mail operation
1229:, accessed December 14, 2010
797:Dragoon Springs to mouth of
648:First camp on Rio Grande to
144:and mail operation from the
140:, was the earliest overland
7:
1247:http://texashistory.unt.edu
1134:On September 20, 1858, the
683:, 3.1 mi (5.0 km)
192:and then continue north to
10:
1352:
1075:Rancho Valle de San Felipe
804:Mouth of Quercos canon to
738:, 65 mi (105 km)
1160:Overland Mail Corporation
1154:Overland Mail Corporation
1136:Butterfield Overland Mail
1105:, 16 mi (26 km)
1098:, 28 mi (45 km)
1091:, 24 mi (39 km)
1084:, 10 mi (16 km)
1077:, 18 mi (29 km)
1037:, 16 mi (26 km)
1030:, 14 mi (23 km)
1009:, 18 mi (29 km)
1002:, 18 mi (29 km)
964:, 13 mi (21 km)
933:, 24 mi (39 km)
926:, 20 mi (32 km)
919:, 32 mi (51 km)
912:, 25 mi (40 km)
891:, 10 mi (16 km)
860:, 35 mi (56 km)
853:, 35 mi (56 km)
829:, 20 mi (32 km)
822:, 13 mi (21 km)
815:, 20 mi (32 km)
808:, 6 mi (9.7 km)
801:, 18 mi (29 km)
794:, 26 mi (42 km)
780:, 23 mi (37 km)
773:, 18 mi (29 km)
766:, 34 mi (55 km)
759:, 10 mi (16 km)
752:, 17 mi (27 km)
745:, 18 mi (29 km)
714:, 22 mi (35 km)
707:, 22 mi (35 km)
610:, 10 mi (16 km)
586:, 32 mi (51 km)
579:, 11 mi (18 km)
537:, 6 mi (9.7 km)
499:, 44 mi (71 km)
468:, 2 mi (3.2 km)
355:, 5 mi (8.0 km)
324:, 18 mi (29 km)
176:Birch envisioned that at
1326:San Antonio–El Paso Road
1023:, 7 mi (11 km)
1016:, 7 mi (11 km)
957:, 7 mi (11 km)
915:2nd crossing of Gila to
898:, 8 mi (13 km)
858:First camp on Gila River
787:, 9 mi (14 km)
643:First camp on Rio Grande
422:, 7 mi (11 km)
221:San Antonio-El Paso Mail
190:San Antonio-El Paso Road
158:California Stage Company
1126:service was curtailed.
790:Dos Cabesas Springs to
771:Rio Saur or San Domingo
281:Maricopa Wells, Arizona
198:Southern Emigrant Trail
1108:Rancho Peñasquitos to
922:Peterman's station to
863:First camp on Gila to
832:Mission San Xavier to
1068:Carrizo Creek Station
464:California Spring to
146:Eastern United States
1012:Lassator's ranch to
910:2nd crossing of Gila
901:Murderer's Grave to
634:Van Horn's Wells to
561:Escondido Spring to
554:Arroyo Escondido to
547:Leaving of Pecos to
365:Rio Frio to Head of
238:New Mexico Territory
136:, also known as the
54:improve this article
1026:Williams' ranch to
851:Pico Chico mountain
785:Dos Cabesas Springs
568:Comanche Spring to
242:Southern California
1225:2011-07-14 at the
1019:Julian's ranch to
917:Peterman's Station
827:Mission San Xavier
806:San Pedro crossing
783:Apache Springs to
627:Deadman's Hole to
620:Barrel Springs to
613:Point of Rocks to
582:Hackberry pond to
533:Pecos Crossing to
509:Live Oak creek to
502:Howard Springs to
450:First Crossing to
434:San Felipe Springs
432:Maverick Creek to
358:Camanche creek to
344:Ranchero creek to
260:Concord stagecoach
217:George H. Giddings
186:San Antonio, Texas
1301:American frontier
1186:Basil C. Pearce,
1087:Warners Ranch to
1035:Mission San Diego
936:Little Corral to
929:Antelope Peak to
908:Oatman's Flat to
894:Ten-mile camp to
825:Cienega Creek to
741:Cook's Spring to
717:Fort Fillmore to
672:San Eleazario to
641:Eagle Springs to
495:Head of river to
471:Willow Spring to
459:California Spring
457:Painted Caves to
351:Sabinal creek to
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16:(Redirected from
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1007:Lassator's ranch
981:Indian Wells to
967:Cook's Wells to
896:Murderer's Grave
629:Van Horn's Wells
589:Limpia creek to
563:Comanche Springs
556:Escondido Spring
549:Arroyo Escondido
542:Leaving of Pecos
540:Pecos Spring to
443:of San Pedro or
425:Piedra Pinto to
390:Turkey Creek to
182:Indianola, Texas
156:the head of the
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1101:San Pasqual to
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1033:Ames' ranch to
1021:Williams' ranch
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792:Dragoon Springs
762:Ojo de Ynez to
755:Ojo La Vaca to
748:Rio Mimbres to
399:Las Moras River
327:Castroville to
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1082:Warner's Ranch
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1038:
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1014:Julian's ranch
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878:Maricopa Wells
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866:Maricopa Wells
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856:Pico Chico to
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778:Apache Springs
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769:Peloncilla to
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710:Cottonwood to
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622:Deadman's Hole
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615:Barrel Springs
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608:Point of Rocks
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577:Hackberry Pond
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528:Pecos Crossing
524:Fort Lancaster
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512:Fort Lancaster
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504:Live Oak Creek
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497:Howard Springs
493:
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441:first crossing
439:San Felipe to
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430:
427:Maverick Creek
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353:Camanche creek
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339:Ranchero creek
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316:Leon river to
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254:, also called
231:, formerly of
200:from there to
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154:James E. Birch
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903:Oatman's Flat
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889:Ten-mile camp
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811:San Pedro to
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799:Quercos canon
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452:Painted Caves
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445:Devil's River
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346:Sabinal creek
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65:Find sources:
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43:This article
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976:Indian Wells
962:Cook's Wells
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776:Rio Saur to
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584:Limpia Creek
535:Pecos Spring
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420:Piedra Pinto
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385:Turkey Creek
378:Nueces River
322:Medina River
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138:Jackass Mail
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110:January 2011
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52:Please help
47:verification
44:
1096:San Pasqual
1040:Mission to
1028:Ames' ranch
969:Alamo Mucho
887:Tezotal to
818:Cienega to
757:Ojo de Ynez
750:Ojo La Vaca
743:Rio Mimbres
686:Isletta to
679:Socorro to
486:Fort Hudson
474:Fort Hudson
416:Fort Clarke
404:Fort Clarke
367:Leona River
337:D'Hanis to
318:Castroville
306:San Antonio
178:New Orleans
162:San Antonio
1295:Categories
1170:References
1089:San Ysabel
955:Pilot Knob
764:Peloncilla
732:La Mesilla
720:La Mesilla
705:Cottonwood
663:Birchville
651:Birchville
604:Fort Davis
592:Fort Davis
383:Nueces to
376:Uvalde to
332:Seco River
311:Leon river
256:ambulances
251:mud wagons
225:La Mesilla
208:vessel to
172:Foundation
150:California
142:stagecoach
80:newspapers
1141:Fort Yuma
1110:San Diego
1043:San Diego
1000:Vallecito
951:Fort Yuma
939:Fort Yuma
570:Leon Hole
392:Elm Creek
320:, on the
219:, of the
202:San Diego
166:San Diego
1259:PURCHASE
1223:Archived
1063:Source:
360:Rio Frio
291:Source:
882:Tezotal
813:Cienega
701:El Paso
689:El Paso
681:Isletta
674:Socorro
329:D'Hanis
277:El Paso
194:Mesilla
94:scholar
847:Tucson
835:Tucson
371:Uvalde
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273:jacal
101:JSTOR
87:books
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297:bold
240:and
164:and
132:The
73:news
998:to
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665:to
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369:, "
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56:by
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