BUTTERFIELD OVERLAND STAGE

LOCATION: Northwest corner of the building on the northeast corner of the Public Square and Olive Street.

INSCRIPTION: 'SITE OF GEN. NICHOLAS SMITH'S TAVERN ON BOONVILLE ROAD, EARLEST OUTLET OF SPRINGFIELD, ALSO STATION OF BUTTERFIELD STAGE ROUTE CARRYING FIRST OVERLAND MAIL FROM ST. LOUIS TO PACIFIC COAST. GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY $600,000 YEARLY. FIRST MAIL LEFT ST. LOUIS SEPT. 16, 1858, BY RAIL, ARRIVING TIPTON AFTERNOON OF SAME DAY, THEN BY STAGE, REACHING SPRINGFIELD 5:15 P.M., SEPT. 17, AND SAN FRANCISCO 7:30 A.M., OCT. 10. TIME 23 DAYS, 23 HOURS FROM ST. LOUIS, 2765 MILES. LONGEST MAIL STAGE ROUTE EVER ATTEMPTED. BI-WEEKLY SERVICE MONDAYS AND THURSDAYS FROM ST. LOUIS. 141 (LATER 167) STATIONS EN ROUTE. FIRST EASTBOUND STAGE LEFT SAN FRANCISCO EARLY SEPT. 15, ARRIVING SPRINGFIELD 3:00 P.M., OCT. 8, WHERE HUNDREDS WELCOMED ITS ARRIVAL AS GREAT EVENT. BANQUET: SPEECHES: FIREWORKS. TIME EASTWARD TRIP, 24 DAYS, 18 HOURS TO ST. LOUIS. UNIVERSITY CLUB MARKER NO. 18. ERECTED NOV. 1932."