page_title: History of Wells Fargo
section_title: Growth
hierarchical_section_title: History of Wells Fargo / Early history / Growth
caption_attribution_description: English: The Wells Fargo &amp; Company Express Building, Silver Reef, Utah, USA Français&#160;: Le batiment Wells Fargo &amp; Company Express, Silver Reef, Utah, Etats-Unis
context_page_description: The new company chose to retain the name of "Wells Fargo" and so this article also includes the history after the merger.
context_section_description: The company expanded rapidly under Tevis' management. The number of banking and express offices grew from 436 in 1871 to 3,500 at the turn of the century. During this period, Wells Fargo also established the first Transcontinental Express line, using more than a dozen railroads. The company first gained access to the lucrative East Coast markets beginning in 1888; successfully promoted the use of refrigerated freight cars in California; had opened branch banks in Virginia City, Carson City, and Salt Lake City, Utah by 1876; and opened a branch bank in New York City by 1880. Wells Fargo expanded its express services to Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, South America, Mexico, and Europe. In 1885 Wells Fargo also began selling money orders. In 1892 John J. Valentine, Sr., a long time Wells Fargo employee, was made president of the company.
  Until 1876, both banking and express operations of Wells Fargo in San Francisco were carried on in the same building at the northeast corner of California and Montgomery Streets. In 1876 the locations were separated, with the banking department moving to a building at the northeast corner of California and Sansome Streets. The bank moved in 1891 to the corner of Sansome and Market Streets, where it remained until 1905.
  Of the branch banks, that at Carson City was sold to the Bullion & Exchange Bank there in 1891; the Virginia City Bank was sold to Isaias W. Hellman's Nevada Bank in 1891, and the Salt Lake City Bank was sold to the Walker Brothers there in 1894. The New York City branch remained until the Wells Fargo & Company bank merged with Hellman's bank in 1905.
caption: Wells Fargo and Company Express Building that was built circa 1877, Silver Reef, Utah
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