Heart of the West: San Francisco as a Postal Hub From 1849-1869: The Philatelic Exhibit

This exhibit examines the postal routes connecting San Francisco to the rest of the world from 1849 to 1869. The 1848 California Gold Rush established San Francisco as the principal city on the American West Coast, and San Francisco’s large natural harbor made it an excellent terminus for Pacific Ocean steamships. These factors quickly solidified San Francisco as the central point for postal operations in the American West. The period covered by this exhibit begins when San Francisco began formal postal operations in March 1849 and concludes in June 1869, shortly after the completion of the transcontinental railroad.These include the following: Postal Routes Connecting With San Francisco :Transcontinental water routes connected the east and west coasts of North America by Atlantic coast steamships running between New York and Latin America, and by Pacific coast steamships running between San Francisco and Latin America. These were joined by short overland routes via Panama, Nicaragua, and Mexico.Transcontinental overland routes across the North American continent.Pacific Ocean routes connected San Francisco with foreign ports in the Far East, Pacific Rim, Hawaii, British Columbia, and South America.Regional West Coast routes connected San Francisco with nearby regions. Local mail within San Francisco is not included in the scope of this exhibit.This postal history stamp exhibit is a wonderful addition to a philatelic library. Another great exhibit from Exhibitors Press. Read more