"...the safety of your person cannot be vouchsafed by anyone but God."

(Lang, Walter Barnes (1890-1973), editor)

The First Overland Mail, Butterfield Trail: St. Louis to San Francisco 1858-1861 [bound with] The First Overland Mail, Butterfield Trail: San Francisco to Memphis 1858-1861

(S.l.): Privately printed, (1940 and 1945). First edition. Black and white plates, cuts, facsimiles, one map. Cloth over boards. Octavo. 163 pages and 94 pages. Bound in dark green pebbled cloth over boards with gilt-stamped spine title. Hinges sound, a few shallow bumps to spine ends. Some browning to endpapers and first and last couple of leaves. Brief prior ownership inscription on front free endpaper. Near fine overall.

An interesting and valuable compilation of contemporary narratives of travel on the Butterfield Overland Mail Company routes. The first volume contains four accounts of travel along the San Francisco to St. Louis route and the first map to accurately show the location of the Butterfield Trail. The second volume contains one account of travel on the San Francisco to Memphis route, along with a number of shorter narrations and items of historic interest concerning operation of the short-lived service.

Handsome typography throughout, printed by the Roycrofters in East Aurora, NY. The two volumes are bound as one, and this is copy #13 of 20 bound in November 1945, per note at bottom of blank leaf at rear blank leaf.

Uncommon to have both volumes of this source together.

Item #1247

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