Western Union built the first coast-to-coast telegraph line in the United States. From the mid-1800’s until the early 2000’s, the company was the country’s main provider of long-distance telegraph service.
The company began in 1851 as the New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company. It was one of dozens of small telegraph companies operating at the time. In 1856, the company changed its name to Western Union. It completed its first coast-to-coast telegraph line in 1861. Western Union prospered during the American Civil War (1861-1865). The United States government and the Union Army made much use of its lines. By 1866, Western Union had bought its main competitors, and the company enjoyed a near monopoly on long-distance telegraph service in the United States.
By the 1920’s and 1930’s, Western Union delivered millions of telegrams every year. Its uniformed messenger boys and girls were a familiar sight in every city in the United States.
As the market for telegrams declined, money transfers and electronic payment services became a larger part of Western Union’s business. Today, the company focuses on financial services. It delivered its last telegram in 2006.
See also Telegraph ; Telephone (The Bell System) .
