Founded in 1851, Western Union is one of the oldest companies in America. Originally known as The New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company, the company changed its name to Western Union in 1856. From the very beginning, Western Union was a pioneer in communication, helping to connect people across the country with its telegraph service. In 1866, Western Union completed the first transcontinental telegraph line, allowing people to communicate from coast to coast for the very first time.