Ten days later, on april, the westbound rider and mail packet completed the approximately 1,800mile journey and arrived in sacramento. Whether youre alone or with family, you will find a quiet and safe oasis with us. The pony express was a mail service delivering messages, newspapers, and mail using relays of horsemounted riders that operated from april 3, 1860 to october 24, 1861 between missouri and california in the united states of america operated by central overland california and pikes peak express company, the pony express was a great financial investment to the u. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. A very complete work on express services in nevada including the central overland pony express of 186061. The account would later be written down in twains book roughing it. Mar 26, 2020 on april 3, 1860, the pony express started operations at the 34 pony express stations that had been built across the territory of nevada. Knowing that there was a great likelihood of some bandits or road agents as they were commonly called getting wind of the consignment and attempting a holdup, cody hit upon a little emergency ruse. Clemens encounters a pony express rider in western nebraska. The authors humor also prevails throughout ultimately making this a great, accessible book not just of the narrow topic of the pony, but of the old west, and america. Timeline edit edit source the following important events in the history of nevada affected political jurisdictions, family movements, and record keeping. Welcome to the home of pony express territory and the loneliest road in america. Pony express cz pony express, nevada, vintage world maps, style. William lightfoot visschers book, however, is a rollicking yarn that helped create the lasting legend.
Joseph, missouri, via kansas, nebraska, colorado, wyoming, utah, nevada and into california. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Founded in 1976, we are the nevada state division of the national pony express. Although only in operation for about 18 months, the pony express is the most famous mailing system in american history. It details why and how it was founded, how it operated, who worked for it, why it was discontinued, and why it is legend. The mochila mailbag was transferred to a rider at the nevada california state line.
The walls are still there so you can get an idea how big it used to be its not quite as impressive as the sandsprings one but it is very nice to visit. Messages were carried on horseback relay across the prairies, plains, deserts, and mountains of the western united states. The overland mail company eventually did take over the western portion of the pony express route that went to sacramento, california, when the pony express firm was dissolved in 1861. Ironically, buffalo bill never was a rider for the pony express. By 1860 there was a telegraph station in carson city, nevada territory. Joseph, missouri, to sacramento, california from april 1860 to october 1861. The pony express route went through what are now the states of missouri, kansas, nebraska, wyoming, colorado, utah, nevada, and california. Explains the route of the pony express and accounts from pony express riders.
On this day in 1860, the first pony express mail, traveling by horse and rider relay teams, simultaneously leaves st. The story of the pony express project gutenberg australia. We came here last year for the annual pony express run and sat downstairs waiting for. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover. History westward expansion the pony express was a mail delivery service that ran between missouri and california. The other source to consider is the western history department of the denver. Joseph, missouri, to sacramento, california the pony express could deliver a letter faster than ever before. Riding the overland stage, 1861, eyewitness to history.
The publications listed below are a mustangmix of both, despite the best intentions of their authors. Across nevada with the pony express and overland stage line desert rat guidebook series. I have described many of the stations in western nevada and in future articles i will describe those in eastern nevada. In the brief history of the pony express, it only happened once that the mail did not go through. The exterior of the gothenburg pony express station is accessible 247, 365 days a year and allows the opportunity to visit while still maintaining the recommended procedure of social distancing. In 1866 nevada acquired its presentday boundaries when the southern tip was added and more eastern land was gained from utah. When lit, the horses legs move and an arrow shoots from the indian. Starting with the foundation of the pony express in the controversy around slavery and the missouri compromise and the role the express played in keeping california in the union as a free state. Postal service pony express route in the world, will be making its annual trip to scottsdale on jan. National pony express nevada division, carson city, nevada. Venture into nevada s pony express territory, where varied terrain and expansive, isolated highways including highway 50, called the loneliest road in the usa offer encounters with historic towns, ancient natural wonders and amazing scenic beauty. In the early 1950s, ads for harolds pony express lodge directed tourists to look for the gigantic neon sign. Mail company bible is compared to the pony express bible by rare book.
Pony express historical timeline pony express museum st. The pony express is one of the most colorful episodes in american history, one which can be used to measure not only the growth of the nation, but the pioneering spirit of our predecessors. Communications with the east, which had been briefly maintained by the pony express, were firmly established by the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869. Visschers book a thrilling and truthful history of the pony express was published in 1908, nearly half a century after the pony express went out of business. There are often many side tangents, but i found these to be more fun than engaging. Cody buffalo bill worked for the pony express riders in st. The pony express rides on a history of the central overland pony express 18601861 between saint joseph, missouri and sacramento and san francisco, california. Hashknife pony express keeps history alive with mail delivery when was the first mail delivered via the pony express the hashknife pony express, the longest sanctioned u. And since this was a book about the pony express, horses were an essential. The mochila mailbag was transferred to a rider at the nevada california state line at 5. We offer clean accommodations available on a weekly or monthly basis.
Pony express nevada pony express territory facebook. Riding the overland stage, 1861 eyewitness to history. Joseph, missouri, and sacramento, california, and from sacramento to san francisco, california, by steamer april 1860october 1861. Nevada pony express territory historic towns and outdoor. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study.
Anyone wondering how the story of the pony express became muddled need only consider that it took half a century to write a book about the subject, and its author was a dubious chronicler. It would have been hard to miss, towering then, as today, over prater way, at the western edge of sparks. The pony express was a mail service delivering messages, newspapers, and mail using relays. In the summer of 1861, as pony express riders rode from station to station, they occasionally passed workers building the nations longest telegraph line.
Written about 100 years ago, this history of the pony express is a fun and interesting read. The pony express bible is a protestant bible that was distributed to the pony express riders in. Across nevada with the pony express and overland stage line desert rat guidebook series townley, john m on. The history and legacy of americas most famous mail service comprehensively examines the history of the pony express from beginning to end, explaining how it operated and who worked for it. Although a financially disastrous brief enterprise, the pony express and. The pony express was a fast mail service crossing the north american continent from st.
Photograph by everett collection historical, alamy. A great picture book to capture the adventure of this period of us history. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Pony express history is partly fact and largely legend. Keeping the history of the pony express alive through personal interaction at schools, museums, parades and public presentations, our members are always sharing the history and demonstrating the legacies of the pony express. Founded in 1976, we are the nevada state division of the national pony express association that promotes. Bibliography pony express national historic trail u. The pony express battles the paiutes trips into history. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the pony express like never before, in no time at all. He was a wonder, digging into the history of the pony, asking me lots of. Pony express rider makes his way through south lake tahoe.
The national pony express association npea is an allvolunteer, historical organization with the purpose of identifying, reestablishing and marking the original pony express trail from st. The first comprehensive history of the legendary transcontinental experiment in mail delivery in sixty years. The author offers an expansive history of the pony express contextualizing it within its time. The real story behind the pony express wells fargo history. The pony express reride 2017 is almost in the history books. National pony express nevada division home facebook. By this date, pony express news was being telegraphed to san francisco a whole two days before pony express letters would arrive. The firm was well known as a freighting outfit using the central route in eastwest transportation, which followed the general path of presentday interstate 80. Rest easy in reno and sparks, nevada, at pony express lodge and any of our other properties. Nevada s pony express territory follows the historic trail of the wild west pony express riders along highway 50 this journey is rich with history and adventure and we invite you to come stay and play along the point best territory youll find 1400 rooms sits ben breakfast 407 v sites and over 350 campsites thats almost 2200 places just waiting for you we look forward to seeing you soon on.
Joseph, missouri, and sacramento, california, was a shortlived business venture operated by the firm of russell, majors and waddell. Nov 15, 2018 its rival, the overland mail company, won the contract and continued to run the pony express giving control of the western half to wells fargo until october 1861. A welcoming and warm hotel near reno, nv pony express lodge. Their book lists 195 pony express riders, based on evidence from eyewitness accounts, newspapers, census records, and other primary sources. For primary materials related to the pony express in nevada, the. Nov 02, 2016 to help me answer those questions, i turned to jacqueline lewin and marilyn taylors on the winds of destiny. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids. The shortlived mailrelay system was a financial disaster doomed by the telegraph, but its. Using the pony express, mail could arrive in california in as few as 9 days rather than the weeks it took to arrive when sent by horse carriage. Riders of the pony express page 4 legends of america.
In operation for only 18 months between april 1860 and october 1861, the pony express nevertheless has become synonymous with the old west. Always in uniform the red shirts of the pony express riders are easily identified at every parade and historical event in nevada. The 15 best things to do in pony express territory 2020. My 8th grade history project was on the pony express. Readers who prefer their history securely documented and controlled may be in for a rough ride, for hardly a statement ever written about the pony express has escaped challenge. We fully support all national, state and local efforts to contain the spread of the. List of books and articles about nevada history online. Apr 23, 20 the book saga of the pony express writes that during the lifetime of the system, the pony express covered a total of 616,000 miles and delivered, 34,753 letters. The story of the pony express national postal museum. On another occasion, it became mysteriously rumored that a certain pony express pouch would carry a large sum of currency.
Apr 03, 2010 150 years later, pony express rides on in legend april 3 marks the 150th birthday of the pony express. Apr 03, 2018 most of what you know about the pony express is probably myth. April 3, 2010 was the pony express 150th anniversary. Across nevada with the pony express and overland stage line.
496 435 644 1309 504 494 589 1123 1220 3 1164 278 432 1290 137 752 1099 1542 1399 517 981 555 817 1101 266 730 1029 1203 328 859 1040 531 972 970 761 1306 455 1159 1048 13 20 216 157 808 269 474