The Railroad Express Office

This is a neat old photo of the Winnsboro Express building, taken around 1912. You'd have found it right at the corner of Broadway and Main, just south of the old city hall.

Before trains took over, most express delivery was done by horse, whether by stagecoach, wagon, or a lone rider. The whole express business in the United States really got started in 1839 with William Harnden, who began regular trips between New York City and Boston. Soon after, companies like Wells Fargo were founded in 1853, and a lot of smaller ones followed suit.

As railroads started connecting towns across the country, the horse gave way to the train. The express industry boomed in the late 1800s, and by 1900, there were four big players: Adams Express Company, Southern Express Company, American Express Company, and Wells Fargo.

As you can see on the 1918 railroad map in our main exhibit at the depot, this particular Express Office was owned by American Express Company. And yes, that's the very same American Express that went on to launch the credit card business with the introduction of the Diners Club card in 1950. While we know the building was theirs, it's a mystery how long they were there and if the men in this photo worked for them.

Mr. McBride (buggy) (Manager) of the Railroad Express Company with employee, Addie (Asa L.) Askew(standing).

The original photo was in the Winnsboro News and this was the caption: "The Railroad Express Office - About 1912

THE OLD WINNSBORO Express Office was located just south of where the Old City Hall Mall stands today, on the west side of Main Street and just north of Carnegie Street. The man in the buggy was identified as a Mr. McBride who was the manager of the Railroad Express Company back in 1912. (Can anyone tell us if this Mr. McBride was the father, or relative, of Mr. Cleo McBride who later was manager of the Express Company?) The gentleman standing by the tree is Addie (Asa L.) Askew, an employee of the Express Company."