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Wells Fargo was an American banking company based in San Francisco, California, that was acquired by Norwest Corporation in 1998. During the California Gold Rush in early 1848 at Sutter's Mill near Coloma, California, financiers and entrepreneurs from all over North America and the world flocked to California, drawn by the promise of huge profits.
On March 18, 1852, our founders—Henry Wells and William G. Fargo—built an innovative start-up to help customers build businesses and manage money in a rapidly changing world.
In March 1852, Henry Wells and William G. Fargo founded Wells, Fargo & Co. Just like the company in its early years and today, the men who founded it were known for creating innovative solutions to help their customers succeed.
This article outlines the history of Wells Fargo & Company from its merger with Norwest Corporation and beyond. The new company chose to retain the name of "Wells Fargo" and so this article is about the history after the merger.
Key Dates: 1852: Henry Wells and William G. Fargo form Wells, Fargo & Company to provide express and banking services to California. 1860: Wells Fargo gains control of Overland Mail Company, leading to operation of the western portion of the Pony Express.
Henry Wells and William G. Fargo, who founded American Express along with John Butterfield, formed Wells Fargo & Company in 1852 to provide "express" and banking services to California, which was growing rapidly due to the California Gold Rush.
Historic Moments. Search all stories. Before apps, there was an agent for that. In the last half of the 1800s, Wells Fargo’s network of hundreds of agents would take care of a customer’s personal or commercial business by commission. Read more. Secret codes that kept transactions safe.
