Mirror Building

California historic landmark

34°03′07″N 118°14′43″W / 34.0518583333333°N 118.245247222222°W / 34.0518583333333; -118.245247222222Built1858

California Historical Landmark

DesignatedJuly 05, 1960Reference no.744

Location of Mirror Building in the Los Angeles metropolitan area

The LA Times Building in 1935 on the site of the former Mirror Building

The Mirror Building also called the Butterfield Overland Mail Company Los Angeles Building was a large brick building in Los Angeles built by Butterfield Overland Mail Company built in 1858. The Mirror Building was designated a California Historic Landmark (No.744) on July 5, 1960. The Mirror Building had business offices and housing space for traveling workers. There was a large stable in the back of the buildings for the horses, along with a large workshop to repair the stagecoaches. The first Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach from St. Louis to arrive was on October 7, 1858. The Butterfield Overland Mail Company was founded by John Butterfield, who later founded American Express.^[1]

While the Mirror Building was being built the Butterfield Overland Mail Company rented space from the Bella Union Hotel.^[2]^[3]^[4] The Los Angeles Butterfield Overland Mail Company closed in 1861.

In 1861, the Mirror Building became the Office of U.S. Quartermaster. The U.S. Quartermaster use the stable for army horses and mules. The stable also had space to support the camels used at Fort Tejon and other west outpost. From 1858, Fort Tejon was the western terminus of the experimental U.S. Camel Corps, which used imported camels in an effort to carry supplies across arid regions in the Southwest. The soldiers found the camels hardy, but temperamental, and they spooked the horses used by the cavalry.^[5]

From 1884 to 1888, the Mirror Building was used as Los Angeles City Hall. The site of the former Mirror Building is now Los Angeles Times building at 202 West 1st Street built in 1935. The current Times Building has a small museum about the Mirror Building and other offices that were on the site, located at 125 South Spring Street. The 1947 New Times Building, is sometimes called Mirror Building due to the site of the original Mirror Building.^[6]^[7]

The Mirror Building received its name later from the Mirror Printing Office and Book Bindery. Mirror Printing Office became the owners of Los Angeles Daily Times in 1882.^[8]
The downtown Los Angeles block that the Mirror Building was on is also the location of the Los Angeles School No. 1 built in 1855. This was the first brick school house in Los Angeles. The School was paid for by the new California education property tax assessment started in 1852, which gave schools five cents per $100 of taxable property value. The school was at the northwest corner of Spring and Second streets and cost $6,000 to build. The two story School opened on March 19, 1855.^[9]^[10]

Route divisions of Butterfield Overland Mail route^[11]
Division	Route	Miles	Hours
Division 1	San Francisco to Los Angeles	462	80
Division 2	Los Angeles to Fort Yuma	282	72.20

Markers

State Marker on the site reads (The historical plaque is located around the on Second Street. ):^[12]
NO. 744 THE MIRROR BUILDING (SITE OF BUTTERFIELD STAGE STATION) – The Butterfield Overland Mail Company took an option on this piece of property in August 1858 and acquired it on December 7, 1859. A large brick building containing offices and living quarters, with shops and stables in the rear, was completed in 1860. With the exception of the station at El Paso, Texas, this was the largest and best equipped station on the entire route."
A 1949 maker placed the by Native Daughters of the Golden West reads"^[13]
This block is the site of:

First brick school house in Los Angeles known as School No. 1, built 1854–1855;

Butterfield Overland Mail Company office and corral, 1858–1861;

Office of U.S. Quartermaster, 1861;

Corral for camels from Fort Tejon, 1861;

and Los Angeles City Hall, built 1884.

External links

Desert USA.com: John Butterfield + Butterfield Overland Mail Unfortunately this article is not primary source reference and contains some errors. Wells Fargo Co. did not take over Butterfield's Overland Mail Company.
Over-land.com: Official Millennium Trail—The Overland Trail
1958 Overland Mail Centennial U.S. commemorative stamp
"Panning for history along Cache la Poudre River" The Moultrie News (Charleston, SC) Article about the Central Overland Trail
Texas Historical Society: Butterfield Overland Mail Company in Bridgeport Archived 2011-09-11 at the Wayback Machine
Butterfield Express under the Confederate States of America

References

^ "Butterfield Stagecoach Overland Mail Co". Knol. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
^ Kieliaso, John R. "Historic Adobes of Los Angeles County". LAOkay.com. Archived from the original on 2004-10-25.
^ washington.edu, Bella Union Hotel
^ "Bella Union Hotel Site, California Historical Landmark 656". Archived from the original on 2019-08-22. Retrieved 2019-08-22.
^ Slatta, Richard W. (2001). The mythical West : an encyclopedia of legend, lore, and popular culture. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9781576071519. OCLC 50174716.
^ Cal Parks, Site 744
^ hmdb.org, Mirror Building
^ Early Los Angeles Historical Buildings (1800s)
^ LAschools.org, Historic Context Statement, page 3
^ A History of California, by James Miller Guinn, 1907, page 303
^ Wright, "Historic Places-Appendix A", p. 821
^ californiahistoricallandmarks.com 744 -No. 744 Mirror Building – Los Angeles
^ hmdb.org, Native Daughters of the Golden West

Butterfield Overland Mail stations
v t e Butterfield Overland Mail 1st Division Stations
San Francisco – Western terminus and 1st Division headquarters, located in downtown San Francisco. Clarks's Station – Located 12 miles south of San Francisco in what is now San Bruno. Sun Water Station – Located 9 miles south of Clarks Station in what is now San Mateo. Redwood City – Located 9 miles south of Sun Water Station. Mountain View Station – Located 12 miles south of Redwood City. San Jose Station – Located 11 miles south of Mountain View Station in the city of San Jose. Seventeen Mile House – Located 17 miles south of San Jose. Gilroy Station – Located 13 miles south of Seventeen Mile House in what is now Gilroy, California. Pacheco Pass Station – Located 18 miles east of Gilroy near the top of Pacheco Pass. St. Louis Ranch – Located 17 miles east of Pacheco Pass. Lone Willow Station – Located 18 miles east of St. Louis Ranch near Los Banos. Temple's Ranch – Located 13 miles southeast of Lone Willow Station near Dos Palos. Firebaugh's Ferry – Located 15 miles southeast of Temples Ranch, on the San Joaquin River. Fresno City – Located 19 miles southeast of Firebaugh's Ferry. Elkhorn Spring Station – Located 22 miles east of Fresno City near present-day Riverdale. Whitmore's Ferry – Located 17 miles southeast of Elkhorn Spring Station on the Kings River. Head of Cross Creek Station – Located 15 miles southeast of Whitmore's Ferry. Visalia – Located 12 miles southeast of Cross Creek Station. Packwood Station – Located 12 miles east of Visalia. Tule River Station – Located 14 miles south of Packwood Station. Fountain Spring Station – Located 14 miles southeast of Tule River Station. Mountain House – Located 12 miles south of Fountain Spring Station. Posey Creek Station – Located 15 miles southwest of Mountain House, on Posey (Poso) Creek. Gordon's Ferry (Kern River Station) – Located 10 miles south of Posey Creek Station on the Kern River just above present-day Bakersfield. Kern River Slough Station – Located 12 miles south of Gordons Ferry. Sink of Tejon Station – Located 14 miles southwest of Kern River Slough Station. Fort Tejon – Located 15 miles southwest of Sink of Tejon Station, north of and below the summit of Tejon Pass. Reed's Station – Located 8 miles southeast of Fort Tejon, near, to the south of the summit of the Tejon Pass. French John's Station – Located 14 miles east southeast of Reeds Station, in the vicinity of the mouth of Cow Springs Creek Canyon. Mud Spring, a later station operating in 1860, 14 miles east from French Johns and 13 miles north from Clayton's Station (formerly Widow Smith's Station). [1] Widow Smith's Station (Clayton's Station, Major Gordon's Station) – Located 24 miles from French John's Station, in upper San Francisquito Canyon near Green Valley. King's Station – Located 10 miles south of Widow Smith's Station in lower San Francisquito Canyon. Hart's Station or Lyons Station – Located 12 miles south of King's Station, in Santa Clarita. Lopez Station – Located 81⁄2 miles southeast of Hart's Station, in the San Fernando Valley north of Mission San Fernando Rey de España. Cahuenga Station – Located 12 miles southeast of Mission San Fernando, in Cahuenga Pass, of the Santa Monica Mountains. The first station of the 1st Division, it was located 12 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Source: "List of Butterfield Overland Mail Stations "Itinerary of the Route"" (PDF). New York Times. October 14, 1858. [1] Notes of a Trip to Los Angeles No. 1, Daily Alta California, Volume 12, Number 3888, 5 October 1860 — Page 1

Butterfield Overland Mail stations

Butterfield Overland Mail 1st Division Stations

San Francisco – Western terminus and 1st Division headquarters, located in downtown San Francisco.
Clarks's Station – Located 12 miles south of San Francisco in what is now San Bruno.
Sun Water Station – Located 9 miles south of Clarks Station in what is now San Mateo.
Redwood City – Located 9 miles south of Sun Water Station.
Mountain View Station – Located 12 miles south of Redwood City.
San Jose Station – Located 11 miles south of Mountain View Station in the city of San Jose.
Seventeen Mile House – Located 17 miles south of San Jose.
Gilroy Station – Located 13 miles south of Seventeen Mile House in what is now Gilroy, California.
Pacheco Pass Station – Located 18 miles east of Gilroy near the top of Pacheco Pass.
St. Louis Ranch – Located 17 miles east of Pacheco Pass.
Lone Willow Station – Located 18 miles east of St. Louis Ranch near Los Banos.
Temple's Ranch – Located 13 miles southeast of Lone Willow Station near Dos Palos.
Firebaugh's Ferry – Located 15 miles southeast of Temples Ranch, on the San Joaquin River.
Fresno City – Located 19 miles southeast of Firebaugh's Ferry.
Elkhorn Spring Station – Located 22 miles east of Fresno City near present-day Riverdale.
Whitmore's Ferry – Located 17 miles southeast of Elkhorn Spring Station on the Kings River.
Head of Cross Creek Station – Located 15 miles southeast of Whitmore's Ferry.
Visalia – Located 12 miles southeast of Cross Creek Station.
Packwood Station – Located 12 miles east of Visalia.
Tule River Station – Located 14 miles south of Packwood Station.
Fountain Spring Station – Located 14 miles southeast of Tule River Station.
Mountain House – Located 12 miles south of Fountain Spring Station.
Posey Creek Station – Located 15 miles southwest of Mountain House, on Posey (Poso) Creek.
Gordon's Ferry (Kern River Station) – Located 10 miles south of Posey Creek Station on the Kern River just above present-day Bakersfield.
Kern River Slough Station – Located 12 miles south of Gordons Ferry.
Sink of Tejon Station – Located 14 miles southwest of Kern River Slough Station.
Fort Tejon – Located 15 miles southwest of Sink of Tejon Station, north of and below the summit of Tejon Pass.
Reed's Station – Located 8 miles southeast of Fort Tejon, near, to the south of the summit of the Tejon Pass.
French John's Station – Located 14 miles east southeast of Reeds Station, in the vicinity of the mouth of Cow Springs Creek Canyon.
Mud Spring, a later station operating in 1860, 14 miles east from French Johns and 13 miles north from Clayton's Station (formerly Widow Smith's Station). [1]
Widow Smith's Station (Clayton's Station, Major Gordon's Station) – Located 24 miles from French John's Station, in upper San Francisquito Canyon near Green Valley.
King's Station – Located 10 miles south of Widow Smith's Station in lower San Francisquito Canyon.
Hart's Station or Lyons Station – Located 12 miles south of King's Station, in Santa Clarita.
Lopez Station – Located 81⁄2 miles southeast of Hart's Station, in the San Fernando Valley north of Mission San Fernando Rey de España.
Cahuenga Station – Located 12 miles southeast of Mission San Fernando, in Cahuenga Pass, of the Santa Monica Mountains. The first station of the 1st Division, it was located 12 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

Source: "List of Butterfield Overland Mail Stations "Itinerary of the Route"" (PDF). New York Times. October 14, 1858.

[1] Notes of a Trip to Los Angeles No. 1, Daily Alta California, Volume 12, Number 3888, 5 October 1860 — Page 1

v t e Butterfield Overland Mail 2nd Division Stations
Los Angeles – Located 12 miles southeast of Cahuenga Station in the pueblo of Los Angeles. The 2nd Division headquarters was in a brick building, consisting of an office, blacksmith shop, stables and sheds. Monte – Located 13 miles east of Los Angeles. Rancho San Jose – Located 12 miles east of Monte in present-day Pomona. Rancho Santa Ana del Chino – Located 12 miles southeast of Rancho San Jose. Temescal Station – Located 20 miles southeast of Rancho Santa Ana del Chino. Laguna Grande Station – Located 10 miles southeast of Temescal Station, near present-day Lake Elsinore. Alamos or Willow Springs Station – a later station, 11 miles south of Laguna Grande Station. Temecula Station – Located 21 miles southeast of Laguna Grande Station. Tejungo Station – Located 14 miles east of Temecula Station, near Aguanga Oak Grove Stage Station – Located 12 miles southeast of Tejungo Station. Warner's Ranch – Located 10 miles southeast of Oak Grove Station. San Felipe Station – Located 10 miles southeast of Warner's Ranch, northwest of nearby Scissors Crossing. Vallecito Station – Located 18 miles southeast of San Felipe Station. Palm Spring Station – Located 9 miles southeast of Vallecito Station at Palm Spring. Carrizo Creek Station – Located 9 miles east southeast of Palm Spring Station. Sackett's Wells – a later station, located 171⁄2 miles east southeast of Carrizo Creek Station, 15 miles west northwest of Indian Wells. Indian Wells Station – Located 32 miles southeast of Carisso Creek, near present day Heber, no water except at station. New River Station – a later station, located 15 miles southeast of Indian Wells Station, in Baja California, 14 miles west of Alamo Mocho Station, in present day Mexicali. Alamo Mocho Station – Located south of the Mexican border in Baja California, 38 miles east of Indian Wells Station, no water except at station. Gardner's Wells Station – a later station, located south of the Mexican border in Baja California, 9 miles east of Alamo Mocho and 9 miles west of Seven Wells. Salt or Seven Wells – a later well, located south of the Mexican border in Baja California, 18 miles east of Alamo Mucho. Cooke's Wells Station – Located south of the Mexican border in Baja California, 22 miles east of Alamo Mocho Station, no water except at station. Pilot Knob Station – Located 18 miles east of Cooke's Wells. Fort Yuma Station – Located 10 miles east of Pilot Knob Station. Source: "List of Butterfield Overland Mail Stations "Itinerary of the Route"" (PDF). New York Times. October 14, 1858.

Butterfield Overland Mail 2nd Division Stations

Los Angeles – Located 12 miles southeast of Cahuenga Station in the pueblo of Los Angeles. The 2nd Division headquarters was in a brick building, consisting of an office, blacksmith shop, stables and sheds.
Monte – Located 13 miles east of Los Angeles.
Rancho San Jose – Located 12 miles east of Monte in present-day Pomona.
Rancho Santa Ana del Chino – Located 12 miles southeast of Rancho San Jose.
Temescal Station – Located 20 miles southeast of Rancho Santa Ana del Chino.
Laguna Grande Station – Located 10 miles southeast of Temescal Station, near present-day Lake Elsinore.
Alamos or Willow Springs Station – a later station, 11 miles south of Laguna Grande Station.
Temecula Station – Located 21 miles southeast of Laguna Grande Station.
Tejungo Station – Located 14 miles east of Temecula Station, near Aguanga
Oak Grove Stage Station – Located 12 miles southeast of Tejungo Station.
Warner's Ranch – Located 10 miles southeast of Oak Grove Station.
San Felipe Station – Located 10 miles southeast of Warner's Ranch, northwest of nearby Scissors Crossing.
Vallecito Station – Located 18 miles southeast of San Felipe Station.
Palm Spring Station – Located 9 miles southeast of Vallecito Station at Palm Spring.
Carrizo Creek Station – Located 9 miles east southeast of Palm Spring Station.
Sackett's Wells – a later station, located 171⁄2 miles east southeast of Carrizo Creek Station, 15 miles west northwest of Indian Wells.
Indian Wells Station – Located 32 miles southeast of Carisso Creek, near present day Heber, no water except at station.
New River Station – a later station, located 15 miles southeast of Indian Wells Station, in Baja California, 14 miles west of Alamo Mocho Station, in present day Mexicali.
Alamo Mocho Station – Located south of the Mexican border in Baja California, 38 miles east of Indian Wells Station, no water except at station.
Gardner's Wells Station – a later station, located south of the Mexican border in Baja California, 9 miles east of Alamo Mocho and 9 miles west of Seven Wells.
Salt or Seven Wells – a later well, located south of the Mexican border in Baja California, 18 miles east of Alamo Mucho.
Cooke's Wells Station – Located south of the Mexican border in Baja California, 22 miles east of Alamo Mocho Station, no water except at station.
Pilot Knob Station – Located 18 miles east of Cooke's Wells.
Fort Yuma Station – Located 10 miles east of Pilot Knob Station.

Source: "List of Butterfield Overland Mail Stations "Itinerary of the Route"" (PDF). New York Times. October 14, 1858.

v t e Butterfield Overland Mail 3rd Division Stations
Swiveler's Mission Camp Filibusters Camp Antelope Peak Peterman's (Mohawk) Texas Hill Griswell's Flap-Jack Ranch Burke's Oatman's Flat Murderer's Grave Gila Ranch Desert Maricopa Wells Casa Blanca Socatoon Oneida Blue Water Picacho Pointer Mountain Tucson
Source: "List of Butterfield Overland Mail Stations "Itinerary of the Route"" (PDF). New York Times. October 14, 1858.

v t e Butterfield Overland Mail 4th Division Stations
Seneca Spring (Cienaga Spring) San Pedro Dragoon Springs Ewell Apache Pass San Simon Stein's Peak Mexican Springs (Barney's) Soldiers Farewell Ojo de Vaca Miembre's River (Rio Mimbres, Mowry City) Cooke's Spring Goodsight Rough and Ready Pichaco Mesilla Fort Fillmore Cottonwoods Franklin

v t e Butterfield Overland Mail 5th Division Stations
Franklin
Pope's Road	Hueco Tanks Ojos de los Alamos Station Cornudas de Los Alamos Station Crow Springs Station Pinery Independence Spring Delaware Springs Pope's Camp Emigrant Crossing
Lower Road	Ysleta Socorro San Elizario Birchville (Smith's Ranch) Fort Quitman Eagle Spring Van Horns Wells Deadman's Hole Spring (El Muerto) Barrel Springs Fort Davis Limpia Barela Springs Leon Springs Camp Stockton
Horsehead Crossing Mustang Waterholes Llano Estacado Camp Johnston Head of Concho Grape Creek Colorado River Fort Chadbourne

v t e Butterfield Overland Mail 6th Division Stations
Valley Creek Mountain Pass Phantom Hill Smith's Station Clear Fork Franz's (Francis') Fort Belknap Station Murphy's Jacksboro
1858–60	Earhart's Conolly's Davidsen's Gainesville Diamond's March 1861.
1860–61	Bridgeport White Rock Decatur Denton Pilot Point
Sherman Station – Located 15 miles from Diamond's Station. Colbert's Ferry – Located 13+1⁄2 miles from Sherman Station, ferry crossing of the Red River to Indian Territory.

v t e Butterfield Overland Mail 7th Division Stations
Colbert's Ferry Fisher's Nail's Boggy Depot Geary's Waddell's Blackburn's Pusley's Riddle's Holloway's Trahern's Walker's Fort Smith Source: "List of Butterfield Overland Mail Stations "Itinerary of the Route"" (PDF). New York Times. October 14, 1858.

v t e Butterfield Overland Mail 8th Division Stations
to Memphis	Fort Smith Charleston Paris Stinnett's Dardanelle Norristown Pottsville Inn Hurricane Lewisburg Plumer's Cadron Station Atlanta Des Arc Madison Memphis
to Tipton	Fort Smith Van Buren Woolsey's (Signal Hill) Brodie's(Lee Creek) Park's Fayetteville Fitzgerald's Callahan's Harbin's Crouch's Smith's Ashmore's Springfield Evan's Smith's Bolivar Yoast's Quincy Bailey's Warsaw Burns' Mulholland's Schackleford's Tipton (Pacific Railroad to St. Louis)
Source: "List of Butterfield Overland Mail Stations "Itinerary of the Route"" (PDF). New York Times. October 14, 1858.