PONY EXPRESS MUSEUM
N 39° 45.360 W 094° 50.938
15S E 341607 N 4402310
PIKES PEAK STABLES.
914 PENN STREET.
ST. JOSEPH,MISSOURI
Waymark Code: WMW05
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 10/21/2006
Views: 67
The Pony Express was founded by William H. Russell, William B. Waddell, and Alexander Majors. Plans for the Pony Express were spurred by the threat of the Civil War and the need for faster communication with the West. The Pony Express consisted of relays of men riding horses carrying saddlebags of mail across a 2000-mile trail. The service opened officially on April 3, 1860, when riders left simultaneously from St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California. The first westbound trip was made in 9 days and 23 hours and the eastbound journey in 11 days and 12 hours. The pony riders covered 250 miles in a 24-hour day.
Eventually, the Pony Express had more than 100 stations, 80 riders, and between 400 and 500 horses. The express route was extremely hazardous, but only one mail delivery was ever lost. The service lasted only 19 months until October 24, 1861, when the completion of the Pacific Telegraph line ended the need for its existence. Although California relied upon news from the Pony Express during the early days of the Civil War, the horse line was never a financial success, leading its founders to bankruptcy. However, the romantic drama surrounding the Pony Express has made it a part of the legend of the American West.
Visit Instructions:
1) Locate and photograph a monument or memorial to the Pony Express, be it a stone or a mural or a roadside sign.
2) The standard rules apply: a photo of the goal and one of your GPS unit - no vacation photos or web downloads will be accepted.
3) Include the coordinates of the location and the name of the city or town in your log.
4) Feel free to include as much history as you'd like. Educate us!