History of Wells Fargo

Henry Wells and William G. Fargo began their careers in the middle of a technological revolution. Trains, canals, and stagecoaches created more interconnected communities and economies. Demand grew for secure ways to send payments, and reliable places to access money, especially while traveling.

Wells and Fargo used their hands-on experience making deliveries of money and valuables by steamboat and stagecoach to develop a network of offices from California to New York and around the world. The network provided consistency and support for customers in a rapidly evolving economy. Using Wells Fargo, customers wary of doing business with distant partners knew they could depend on the local Wells Fargo agent to act on their behalf.

A lot has changed since 1852. New communities and industries have emerged and grown. Technology has made communication and bank transactions faster than ever before.

Across time, and in every generation, Wells Fargo has continued helping customers go further by providing innovative financial services to help them get ahead. Through prosperity, depression, and war, customers have turned to Wells Fargo for the solutions they needed to survive and thrive.

In the early years of our history, stagecoaches brought our customers closer to the things they valued. Now, more than a figure from our past, the Wells Fargo stagecoach is a living part of our American story and a symbol of how we're always driving forward.

History comes alive at the Wells Fargo Museum in San Francisco. On the same block where Wells Fargo first opened for business in 1852, visitors can explore artifacts from our past and reflect on the people who helped build our world today.

Learn more about visiting our museum