The History of 20 Mule Team Borax™

Wagon with Mules pulling - the history of Borex

Why the name 20 Mule Team®?

Teams of mules were used to move millions of pounds of Borax from remote mines in inaccessible Death Valley to the railroad at Mojave.

Originally, teams of eight and ten mules were used, but the trek proved too much. A man named Ed Stiles came up with the idea of hitching two 10-mule teams together—twice the normal amount—resulting in a 100-foot-long team that took 10 days to carry 10 tons of borax one way across the desert.

In 1894, a steam engine named “Dinah” was brought in to replace the mules, but Dinah was no match for the epic 20 mule team’s power. She broke down and was towed back to town by the very mules she tried to replace.

The power of Borax works just as hard as the heritage of its mule team, cleaning deep to tackle your toughest mess.

1881

 Sodium Borate discovered in Death Valley

1883

-   20 mule team created to transport sodium borate

1890

  Pacific Coast Borax Company was formed

1891

  "20 Mule Team®" was added onto the box

1930

  Death Valley Days radio anthology was released

1945

  Death Valley radio show ends

1952

  Death Valley Days television show was released

1967

  Borax was acquired by Rio Tinto

1975

  Death Valley Days television show ends

1988

  20 Mule Team Borax™ acquired by The Dial Corporation®

2004

  The Dial Corporation® acquired by Henkel