Express Mail Delivery to Downieville and Forest City in the 1850's

The express lines were the communication life line to the outside during the early gold rush days. People in those early days depended on the express for all their mail needs since post offices would not be established for several years. Those who came to the gold country in 1850 left behind all thought of receiving any letters, except for the occasional letter brought from the last out post by a friend who came later or once in a while from the occasional pack mule train.

Pack Mules in Downieville-Courtesy of the California State Library

The method of carrying express in the early 1850’s was by mounted messengers on mule. There were no roads only trails through the mountains. At first they made one or two trips per month; but as competition sprang up between rival companies speed became a great consideration, and the messengers made every effort to complete their delivery as quickly as possible. Letters, newspapers, small parcels, and gold-dust were carried by the express men. S.W. Langton started his express from Marysville to Downieville in 1850. His business grew to the other camps in the area until he had a near monopoly. Letters for this region were sent to the Marysville post-office, and the messenger, armed with a list of patrons, was permitted to go the post-office and from there carry the mail over the trails for delivery.

Langton With Major Downie At Downie's Cabin

Langton had a list of thousands of miners with their locations and he charged one dollar for each letter delivered and newspapers were taken up for fifty cents. Letters were taken down to be mailed for half-price. The letters the messenger received from his patrons in the mountains he paid the postmaster in town twenty-five cents each to mail on to their final destination. 
The express men had a hard time of it in the winter and many times where compelled to leave their mules and fight their way on foot through the snow. Snow shoes were unknown at the time, and the luckless messenger had to wade through the deep snow as best he could. Later on snow-shoe was introduced, and with these, and his backpack of letters, the express man made it over the snow when it was too deep for mules. A dog express was also in service for a few years. 

The Langton & Co. Pioneer Express was replaced by the Wells, Fargo & Co. Express in 1866