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. 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. The first comprehensive history of the legendary transcontinental experiment in mail delivery in sixty years. 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. 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 pony express was a fast mail service crossing the north american continent from st. On this day in 1860, the first pony express mail, traveling by horse and rider relay teams, simultaneously leaves st.
Messages were carried on horseback relay across the prairies, plains, deserts, and mountains of the western united states. Sandy springs pony express fallon 2020 all you need to. 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. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. A very complete work on express services in nevada including the central overland pony express of 186061.
Riding the overland stage, 1861, eyewitness to history. We offer clean accommodations available on a weekly or monthly basis. Joseph, missouri, via kansas, nebraska, colorado, wyoming, utah, nevada and into california. The pony express was a mail service delivering messages, newspapers, and mail using relays. 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. On another occasion, it became mysteriously rumored that a certain pony express pouch would carry a large sum of currency. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids. A great picture book to capture the adventure of this period of us history. National pony express nevada division, carson city, nevada. Nov 02, 2016 to help me answer those questions, i turned to jacqueline lewin and marilyn taylors on the winds of destiny. Ten days later, on april, the westbound rider and mail packet completed the approximately 1,800mile journey and arrived in sacramento.
A welcoming and warm hotel near reno, nv pony express lodge. In operation for only 18 months between april 1860 and october 1861, the pony express nevertheless has become synonymous with the old west. 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. Joseph, missouri, and sacramento, california, and from sacramento to san francisco, california, by steamer april 1860october 1861. Pony express cz pony express, nevada, vintage world maps, style. The other source to consider is the western history department of the denver. The publications listed below are a mustangmix of both, despite the best intentions of their authors. It would have been hard to miss, towering then, as today, over prater way, at the western edge of sparks. 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.
Explains the route of the pony express and accounts from pony express riders. Welcome to the home of pony express territory and the loneliest road in america. April 3, 2010 was the pony express 150th anniversary. 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. Their book lists 195 pony express riders, based on evidence from eyewitness accounts, newspapers, census records, and other primary sources. Joseph, missouri, to sacramento, california from april 1860 to october 1861. Pony express historical timeline pony express museum st. Riding the overland stage, 1861 eyewitness to history.
The pony express rides on a history of the central overland pony express 18601861 between saint joseph, missouri and sacramento and san francisco, california. Pony express rider makes his way through south lake tahoe. Across nevada with the pony express and overland stage line. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the pony express like never before, in no time at all. The account would later be written down in twains book roughing it. 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. 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. He was a wonder, digging into the history of the pony, asking me lots of. My 8th grade history project was on the pony express. The pony express bible is a protestant bible that was distributed to the pony express riders in. List of books and articles about nevada history online. The shortlived mailrelay system was a financial disaster doomed by the telegraph, but its. Apr 01, 2020 the pony express debuted at a time before radios and telephones, when california, which achieved statehood in 1850, was still largely cut off from the eastern part of the country.
Joseph, missouri, to sacramento, california the pony express could deliver a letter faster than ever before. 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. Bibliography pony express national historic trail u. 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. 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. By this date, pony express news was being telegraphed to san francisco a whole two days before pony express letters would arrive.
The pony express route went through what are now the states of missouri, kansas, nebraska, wyoming, colorado, utah, nevada, and california. Joseph, missouri, and sacramento, california, was a shortlived business venture operated by the firm of russell, majors and waddell. 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. Although a financially disastrous brief enterprise, the pony express and. Postal service pony express route in the world, will be making its annual trip to scottsdale on jan. Cody buffalo bill worked for the pony express riders in st. The pony express battles the paiutes trips into history.
The story of the pony express national postal museum. In the early 1950s, ads for harolds pony express lodge directed tourists to look for the gigantic neon sign. The 15 best things to do in pony express territory 2020. Founded in 1976, we are the nevada state division of the national pony express. Nevada pony express territory historic towns and outdoor. In 1866 nevada acquired its presentday boundaries when the southern tip was added and more eastern land was gained from utah. Pony express nevada pony express territory facebook. 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. The mochila mailbag was transferred to a rider at the nevada california state line at 5. Pony express history is partly fact and largely legend. The story of the pony express project gutenberg australia. Always in uniform the red shirts of the pony express riders are easily identified at every parade and historical event in nevada.
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. Apr 03, 2018 most of what you know about the pony express is probably myth. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Mail company bible is compared to the pony express bible by rare book. Clemens encounters a pony express rider in western nebraska. Founded in 1976, we are the nevada state division of the national pony express association that promotes. Across nevada with the pony express and overland stage line desert rat guidebook series.
Across nevada with the pony express and overland stage line desert rat guidebook series townley, john m on. Timeline edit edit source the following important events in the history of nevada affected political jurisdictions, family movements, and record keeping. Whether youre alone or with family, you will find a quiet and safe oasis with us. History westward expansion the pony express was a mail delivery service that ran between missouri and california. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. National pony express nevada division home facebook. 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.
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. Apr 03, 2010 150 years later, pony express rides on in legend april 3 marks the 150th birthday of the pony express. When lit, the horses legs move and an arrow shoots from the indian. By 1860 there was a telegraph station in carson city, nevada territory. Although only in operation for about 18 months, the pony express is the most famous mailing system in american history. 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.
I have described many of the stations in western nevada and in future articles i will describe those in eastern nevada. 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. For primary materials related to the pony express in nevada, the. William lightfoot visschers book, however, is a rollicking yarn that helped create the lasting legend. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover. We fully support all national, state and local efforts to contain the spread of the. Written about 100 years ago, this history of the pony express is a fun and interesting read. The author offers an expansive history of the pony express contextualizing it within its time. Riders of the pony express page 4 legends of america. In the summer of 1861, as pony express riders rode from station to station, they occasionally passed workers building the nations longest telegraph line.
We came here last year for the annual pony express run and sat downstairs waiting for. While the pony express was the highlight of the russell, majors and waddell partnership, the company never recovered from their financial losses. 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. Rest easy in reno and sparks, nevada, at pony express lodge and any of our other properties.
There are often many side tangents, but i found these to be more fun than engaging. Its purpose is to preserve the original pony express trail and to continue the memory and importance of pony express in american history in partnership with the national park service, pony express trail association, and the oregoncalifornia trails association. The pony express reride 2017 is almost in the history books. Ironically, buffalo bill never was a rider for the pony express. 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. A classic old west scene, the sign depicts an american indian on horseback chasing a pony express rider. Photograph by everett collection historical, alamy.
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