Tipton
Butterfield Overland Mail Terminus
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Historic town in the annals of western transportation, Tipton, in 1858-59, was the eastern stagecoach terminus of the famous Butterfield Overland Mail. N.Y. expressman John Butterfield (1801-69), under contract to carry mail and passengers between St. Louis and San Francisco over the Southern Route on a twice-a-week, 25-day schedule, used Tipton as stage terminus because the Pacific R. R. (Mo. Pac.), completed to this point, could be used for the first 160 miles.
The first westbound mail and passengers carried by Butterfield stage left Tipton, Sept. 16, 1858, and arrived in San Francisco 24 days later after traveling some 2,700 miles across rivers, deserts, mountains, and through hostile Indian territory. At one time Butterfield had 1,500 horses and mules, 100 coaches, relay stations about 20 miles apart, and, at the peak, 2,000 employees.
Tipton was replaced as terminus when the railroad reached nearby Syracuse in the summer of 1859. In 1861, because of the Civil War, traffic was transferred from the Southern to the Central Route.
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Butterfield coaches traveled south from Tipton to Arkansas
making stops at the following relay stations in Missouri:
Relay Station Nearest Town Today County
Shackelford's
this page online
Munhollen's Florence Morgan
Burn's Cole Camp Benton
Warsaw Warsaw Benton
Bailey's Fairfield Benton
Quincy Quincy Hickory
Yoast's Elkton Hickory
Bolivar Bolivar Polk
J. H. Smith's N. of Brighton Polk
Molloy's S. of Brighton Polk
Evans' N. of Springfield Greene
Springfield Springfield Greene
Ashmore's N. W. corner of Christian
J. I. Smith's N. E. corner of Barry
Crouch's Cassville Barry
Cassville (not a relay station but a stop)
Harbin's Seligman Barry
Tipton was laid out by William Tipton Seeley, 1858, shortly before it became the Butterfield Overland Mail terminus. Near Tipton is the State Training School for Negro Girls, opened, 1916.
Erected 1955 by State Historical Society of Missouri and State Highway Commission.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Communications • Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Butterfield Overland Mail, and the Missouri, The State Historical Society of series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is September 16, 1858.
Location. 38° 39.182′ N, 92° 47.185′ W. Marker is
Other nearby markers. At least 4 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Tipton Methodist Church Bell (approx. 0.4 miles away); William Tipton Seely (approx. half a mile away); Site of First St. Andrew Catholic Church (approx. 0.7 miles away); Butterfield Overland Mail in Missouri - 1858-1861 (approx. 4.9 miles away).
Also see . . .
1. BONESHAKER: The Saga of the Butterfield Overland Mail. Missouri Life Magazine website entry (Submitted on June 3, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. Butterfield Overland Mail. Handbook of Texas website entry (Submitted on January 9, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. A grave injustice : institutional terror at the State Industrial Home for Negro girls (Rowe). (Submitted on January 9, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 3, 2022. It was originally submitted on January 9, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,004 times since then and 144 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 9, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
