I’d like to introduce you to a friend of mine, Marianne Babal. Marianne is a corporate historian here at Wells Fargo — and has been for the past 12 years! Before climbing aboard the stagecoach, she worked for the National Park Service and as a consultant in preservation and cultural resource projects. She also serves on the board of her hometown historical society in Mill Valley, and loves to ride her bike up in the hills of Marin County, California. As a regular contributor to our award-winning historical blog, Guided By History, Marianne is pretty good at this blog thing. Today she is going to tell you about the 157-year history of Wells Fargo. (Yes, 157 years – that’s older than you and me combined!) —AMQ
When I tell fellow team members about my job at Wells Fargo, the follow-up comment I usually get is: "You have the best job in the bank!" Generally I have to agree, because what other bank can claim in its history topics as exciting as the stagecoach, Pony Express, gold, treasure boxes and the notorious robber Black Bart? 
And the best part of Wells Fargo's 156-year history is that it is all genuine and documented in our Corporate Archives, going back to our first day of business in 1852. We collect and preserve the history of not only Wells Fargo, but the history of all of our merger partners and their merger partners and their merger partners — well, you get the idea.
Here in Historical Services, we like to think that just about everyone knows the classic Concord stagecoach as the corporate symbol of Wells Fargo.
But what do the Transcontinental Railroad , Pony Express, Black Bart, and champion boxer Gentleman Jim Corbett have to do with Wells Fargo?
They are all part of Wells Fargo's history, dating back to its founding in 1852 during the California Gold Rush.
Wells Fargo's stagecoaches helped bridge the gap between unfinished tracks of the Transcontinental Railroad until a golden spike completed the tracks at Promontory, Utah on May 10, 1869. Wells Fargo also operated the western half of the famous Central Overland Pony Express from April to October 1861, as swift riders carried mail between Missouri and California in ten days time. Stagecoach robber Black Bart managed to rob Wells Fargo's treasure boxes 28 times, confounding company detectives from 1875 until his capture in 1883. And young James J. Corbett honed his boxing skills after finishing his day job as a clerk at the Nevada Bank, a Wells Fargo merger partner in 1905.
Wachovia has its own deep and amazing history of pioneering — they helped revive and remake the banking industry in the Southeast. Transportation improvements and industry moved into the Piedmont Region , and with it came a need for local banks and bankers. In 1879, William A. Lemly packed up and moved his banking business from Salem, North Carolina, to nearby Winston, opening the doors of Wachovia National Bank in 1879.
It's been a long time since both Wells Fargo and Wachovia started out. We are excited and honored that from here on out we'll be making new history together!
Will Wachovia customers have to pay $6.95/month for Online BillPay?
I love the history of these banks. Wells Fargo has an expecially intriguing history with the Gold Rush, Comstock Lode, and 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. I'm looking forward to learning about Wachovia's history as well. I understand that Wachovia is really North Carolina's First Union and seems to go back quite awhile too. Thanks for the links!
I am a wells Fargo account holder living in FL. Thus, currently I am banking by mail; how soon can I expect to be able to bank locally?
Ann Marie,
I enjoyed this post very much. I work in banking (very boring, but the only thing I have ever done), but history is my first love, so banking history is right up my alley. One of Wachovia's early predecessor companies was the Georgia Railroad and Banking Company. It started one of the first railroads in the nation. The Georgia Railroad Bank was headquartered in Augusta, GA and was purchased by First Union/Wachovia in the 80s. I was really sad to see a bank with a cool name like The Georgia Railroad Bank being acquired and I was even sadder to see over the years how First Union paid little or no attention to the history of its predecessor companies, they only seemed interested in the next acquisition. Long story sort, I love that Wells Fargo is proud of its history and I for one think it is cool that the Stagecoach bank's name will soon be on the old Georgia Railroad Bank building in Downtown Augusta. Tommy Burkhalter, Augusta, GA
Now Wachovia being part of Wells Fargo Bank, our customers and relationship will not continue with neither bank.
I find little information about the effect of the merger on online banking, which is of great concern to me. What am I missing?
Since I already know all about Wells Fargo's history, it is fair to say that its history plays a major role in its branding and I love it. While you are it, why don't you elaborate a little bit more on Henry Wells and William Fargo, the original founders of Wells Fargo for those who are not familiar with that?
Likewise, make a mention of the origin of the name "Wachovia" and explain its history. Personally I already know all about it, but I bet most people don't. Very interesting to know that its history goes way back to before the founding of this country.
Hey, you forgot to mention that there was a bank called First Union. Its executives ran it in the ground so much they had ditch the name when they bought legacy Wachovia. And, since trashing the First Union name wasn't good enough, they decided to just run Wachovia into near bankruptcy and failure! I say Wells Fargo is doing a great job so far keeping the executives of Wachovia as far away as possible from running a bank.
Notice how so much attention is paid to Wells Fargo, and so little to Wachovia in this posting. Also, I checked out the Wells Fargo history website. Very little information about predessor companies-even in the downloadable PDF. U.S. Bank is looking pretty good right about now!
It should be noted that in the first picture the man at the far right is none other than R. J. Reynolds!
I find it odd that the Wachovia part leaves out that the bank can trace its roots back through mergers to 1803 as Philadelphia National Bank. But since the company has been bought so many times, I guess it's forgotten.
Kudos for putting together an excellent communication site. As a current Wells Fargo team member and one who has been through other mergers, it's great to see a proactive site that is interesting, informative and addresses customer concerns.
Can you make your house payments at a Wachovia Branch? Does anyone know?
Anne Marie. In doing a little research, it looks like the history of Wachovia can be traced back farther than Wells Fargo to The Bank of North America who received a charter on December 31, 1781. The bank branch in Pennsylvania continues to operate under national bank charter #1, presently held by Wachovia Bank, N.A.. Wachovia still has a branch at the northwest corner of 6th and Chestnut in Philadelphia, which was the original site of the Bank of North America. This branch is the longest continuously operating branch bank in the United States, operating in that location since 1781. Now that is some history!!
@J.A. Santes – Thanks for your comment! I’m glad you appreciate Wells Fargo history and its relationship to our brand. As for your suggestion, well, you'll meet Mr. Wells and Mr. Fargo in a future post, coming up soon! Likewise, the origins of the Wachovia name. Stay tuned...
@anonymous who asked why history of predecessor companies is not more prominent: Wells Fargo is made up of over 9,000 predecessor organizations. You'll be seeing more about Wachovia, First Union, and other legacy connections on our history website and Guided by History blog very soon.
Add alittle more history. Mid 1990's NorWest Bank Bought Wells Fargo and Company. NorWest Bank not being well know national Keep the Wells Fargo name. What ashame should have keep the NorWest Bank name and there customers relationship.
As a logo designer, I've always been intrigued by the new Wachovia logo with the curved lines inside a square. Knowing the railroad history of the company, can you tell me if my guess is correct regarding the origination of the logo? It would appear to be two sets of tracks going in opposite directions (from overhead) and perhaps a switchover track, too. Is this correct? Please email me with your reply if you know. Thank you very much for your attention.