The Alta California Telegraph Company (also referred to simply as the Alta Telegraph Company) was a telegraph company which operated in the mid-19th century within the state of California prior to the construction of the Transcontinental Telegraph. It was organized in July 1852,[1] and incorporated in January 1854 [2] and began constructing its first line that same year, stretching from Sacramento to Marysville and extending up into the foothills of the adjacent Sierra Nevada mountains. In subsequent years, a line was constructed between Sacramento and Benicia. From Benicia, a branch line was extended to Vallejo and the US Navy yard at Mare Island.[citation needed]
The principal offices of the company were located in San Francisco (153 Montgomery Street at Merchant St.), and Sacramento in the historic Hastings Building on Second Street.