Pony Express Stables - St. Joseph, Missouri
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 39° 45.375 W 094° 50.923
15S E 341629 N 4402338
Also known as Pike's Peak Stables, it was in front of these stables the first Pony Express rider started the journey on April 3rd, 1860.
Waymark Code: WM1KH7
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 05/27/2007
Views: 75
The following is an excerpt from Missouri: A Guide to the 'Show Me' State,
1941 in the St. Joseph Points of Interest section:
The PONY EXPRESS STABLES, 912 Pen St., is a one-and-a-half story brick
structure with wide entrance doors. The date of construction and extent of
subsequent alterations is not known, but tradition associates the building with
the Pony Express. Service was inaugurated at five o'clock on the afternoon
of April 3, 1860. "Little Johnnie" Frey mounted his pony in the old Pike's
Peak stable and rode to the express company office on North Second Street, where
he was given a buckskin pouch containing 85 pieces of mail. He fastened
this to this saddle, and while hundreds cheered, dashed off on the first lap of
the 1,975-mile trip to California. The express maintained a schedule of
approximately ten days for each trip, unless news of vital importance was being
carried. President Buchanan's farewell message was carried in 7 days, 19
hours; the news of Lincoln's election crossed the plains and mountains in 8
days, Lincoln's inaugural address established the record time of 7 days, 17
hours. The express demanded riders who were hardy, courageous, and
schooled in the life of the plains. Among those who served were William F.
("Buffalo Bill") Cody, "Pony" Bob Haslem, Jack Keeley, and Jack Slade--the last
won his greatest notice as an outlaw, but he served the Pony Express well.
After 16 months of operation, the express gave way to the telegraph.
The Pony Express Stables now serve as The Pony Express National Museum with
state of the art displays depicting all aspects of the Pony Express
including its creation, its operation and its termination. The stables
deteriorated over the years until the 1950's when renovation was initiated to
stabilize the building and reconstruction of the mission portions. The
building is is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The museum is open 9 am - 5 pm Monday-Saturday and 1 pm - 5 pm on Sundays.
For more information see
Pony Express
Museum website.