Wells Fargo has served and employed Latinos since its founding in 1852. Our heritage of more than 150 years includes services both for and by the Spanish-speaking settlers of the West and the Americas. Wells Fargo's people, places and business extended from the old ranchos of California, the rail lines of an emerging modern Mexico, and offices throughout Central America and the Caribbean.
Early Years
In Wells Fargo's early years, gold and much important business traveled by the side-wheel steamships that linked West and East via Panama. On the journey, the steamers stopped in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Acapulco, where Wells Fargo agents served the growing Pacific Coast communities.
Latinos have been a critical part of the success of Wells Fargo since the very beginning. As customers, they transact business; as Team Members, they provide customer service.
Wells Fargo's Express network moved from East to Golden West via Panama. Steamships carried express from the Columbia River basin to Pacific points in Latin America. Overland stagecoaches rolled through territories that had been northernmost Mexico only a few years earlier.
Mexico
Wells Fargo established a Mexican subsidiary in 1860, Wells Fargo y CompaÒÌa Express, S.A. (Sociedad Mexicana). Offices were opened in grocery and department stores, hotels, drug stores and real estate offices. By the turn of the century, the CompaÒÌa had over 300 offices, and fully ninety-eight percent of employees were Mexican.
Wells Fargo's business in Mexico grew with the expansion of railroads in the last half of the century. Wells Fargo provided rapid delivery and was the only U.S. express company offering direct service. Wells Fargo printed special envelopes to carry personal and financial documents between Mexico and North America.
Wells Fargo's first office outside the United States opened in 1852, in Panama.
Throughout latin America, Wells Fargo opened offices in South America,
El Salvador and Cuba. Wells Fargo safely and securely transferred money.
Cuba Wells Fargo had regularly scheduled business with Cuba since the late 1800s via steamships. Wells Fargo also handled money orders and traveler’s checks for Cubans and tourists, while expanding steamship services to various destinations from the island. Domestic express operations in the U.S. (including Wells Fargo) were nationalized in Word War I. Wells Fargo Express strengthened international relationships, including Cuban railroad companies, and began express services throughout Cuba from Havana to Santiago.
In Wells Fargo's early years, gold and much important business traveled by the side-wheel steamships that linked West and East via Panama. On the journey, the steamers stopped in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Acapulco, where Wells Fargo agents served the growing Pacific Coast communities.
Wells Fargo had regularly scheduled business with Cuba since the late 1800s via steamships. Wells Fargo also handled money orders and traveler’s checks for Cubans and tourists, while expanding steamship services to various destinations from the island. Domestic express operations in the U.S. (including Wells Fargo) were nationalized in Word War I. Wells Fargo Express strengthened international relationships, including Cuban railroad companies, and began express services throughout Cuba from Havana to Santiago.
