My Shots - Throwback Thursday

 

Years ago Hubby and I took a turn on a random road off Highway 20 and ended up passing by this old Wells Fargo building.

On this day in 1852, Wells and Fargo launched their shipping and banking company.

With the gold rush going on there was an increased need for cross-country shipping.  The company contracted with independent stagecoach companies to provide the fastest service.  As a bank, they purchased gold dust and provided loans to help fuel the growing economies.

In 1857, Wells, Fargo, and Co formed the Overland Mail Company. 

Rock Creek, Cold Springs Station - a stop on the Overland Mail route and an early transcontinental telegraph station.

In 1866, they merged with several Pony Express and other stagecoach lines, becoming the unrivaled leader of transportation in the West.  They later used the transcontinental railroad to transport freight.

During World War I, the government nationalized the shipping routes and established the American Railway Express.  The company became Wells Fargo Bank American Trust Company and remains one of the largest banking institutions in the United States today.

(The two above pictures are both off of Highway 50)

History