Wells Fargo Stagecoach Helps Celebrate
National Tourism Week at Ben J. Rogers Regional Visitors Center
BEAUMONT, Texas – The brightly colored straw yellow wheels, the gallop of the horses and the familiar red color with the gold company logo — all signs that the Wells Fargo stagecoach is coming to town. On May 11, the stagecoach will make an appearance from 1 p.m.- 4 p.m. at the Ben J. Rogers Regional Visitors Center located at 5055 IH-10 South. The Center and its tourism partners are hosting a reception to promote the city and its attractions in celebration of National Tourism Week, held May 5-13. The reception is open to the public.
“The Wells Fargo stagecoach is a symbol of the determination and courage of the American West and a fitting entry in a celebration honoring Northfield’s 1876 heroes,” said Tina English, Wells Fargo district manager for the Golden Triangle. “In the 1870s, the stagecoach signaled the coming of commerce and development and brought pioneers one step closer to realizing their hopes and dreams for the frontier land."
Starting in 1858, the Wells Fargo stagecoach helped carry mail for the Overland Mail Company. It provided semi-weekly service, stretching 2,700 miles from St. Louis to San Francisco, via El Paso and Los Angeles, in just 21 days.
The Wells Fargo coach always drew onlookers when it pulled into town. It meant the arrival of old friends and intriguing strangers, important packages, letters from loved ones and modern goods from the East. The stagecoach was considered the finest passenger vehicle of the time. It traveled an average of five miles an hour, changing horses at swing stations every 12 miles and stopping for meals at home stations about every 45 miles. A total of 18 people could ride in the coach. A passenger could bring along 25 pounds of luggage — about the size of a backpack.
In Texas, Wells Fargo has more than 20,000 team members, more than 700 Community Banking stores and more than 1,000 ATMs. Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.3 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, the Internet (wellsfargo.com and wachovia.com), and other distribution channels across North America and internationally. With more than 270,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in America. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 23 on Fortune’s 2011 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially.