The History of the Pony Express

These days, cars, trucks and planes are the most efficient and fastest means of delivering mail and packages across the United States. In the 1860s, the fastest way to deliver mail was the Pony Express. The Pony Express was a fast mail service that was established to make communications easier between the East and the West Coast. It was the most efficient means of communication before the telegraph was invented. Young and brave male riders rode fast horses on a 2,000-mile route 24 hours a day. Packages normally arrived within a 10-day period, which was two times faster than stagecoaches.

• The Pony Express History: An overview of Pony Express history.

• Pony Express Historic Resource Study: Web page that provides a comprehensive account of the history of the Pony Express.

The Pony Express was founded by William H. Russell, Alexander Majors, and William B. Waddell. They hoped to win an exclusive government mail contract by providing a faster and more reliable means of communication along the Northern-Central route. At that time, most mail carriages operated in the Southern and Panama route. Their method was simple. Instead of the usual stagecoaches, they employed mounted riders to travel shorter but more perilous routes.

• The Story of the Pony Express: Brief article about the Pony Express from the National Postal Museum.

All Pony Express riders weighed 125 pounds or less. They would travel 10 miles along the route and then change horses at a station. The total distance covered per trip was 75 to 100 miles. They traveled day and night and they were paid $25 a week, which was a large sum compared to the standard labor wage at that time. Altogether, about 80 riders were employed by Pony Express.

• Pony Express Riders: List of riders who were employed by Pony Express.

The horses that were used by Pony Express had an average height of 1.47 m and an average weight of 900 pounds. About 400 horses were acquired by the company. They were mostly mustangs, pintos, thoroughbreds, and Morgans. The horses were only allowed to carry a total of 165 pounds on their backs, and they traveled at an average speed of 10 miles per hour.

Mails and packages were contained in a pouch called mochilla. The mochilla was thrown over the saddle and the rider would sit on it to hold it in place. Each corner of the mochilla had a padlocked cantina, or pocket, to contain the mails. The mochilla could carry 20 pounds of mail. In the beginning, the mails cost $5.00 per ½ ounce, but the rate was later decreased to $1.00 per ½ ounce. Other than the mochilla, the horse also carried items such as a revolver and a water sack.

The route of the Pony Express covered several trails in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and California. Some of the trails that were covered included the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, Fort Bridger in Wyoming, the Mormon Trail, Salt Lake City, and the Central Nevada Route to Carson City. The route passed through the Great Basin, the Utah-Nevada Desert, and the Sierra Nevada. There were more than 100 stations located across this route, and ferry boats were used to cross rivers.

• Pony Express Route: Map of the Pony Express route.

• Utah Pony Express Trail: Description of a historic trail in Utah that was once used by Pony Express.

• Nevada Pony Express: Website that is dedicated to providing information about the Pony Express trail in Nevada.

• Oregon-California Pony Express Trail: An article about the Pony Express trail that runs from Oregon to California.

The first two Pony Express deliveries happened simultaneously on the East and West Coast on April 3, 1860. The first rider from the West was Johnson William Richardson, while James Randall was the rider from the East. The westbound trip was made in 9 days and 23 hours, while the eastbound trip was completed in 11 days and 12 hours. The fastest delivery of 7 days and 17 hours between telegraph lines took place after President Abraham Lincoln's Inaugural Address. The Pony Express operated 12 days in summer and 12 to 16 days in winter.

• Abraham Lincoln’s Inaugural Address: Find out about the record-breaking Pony Express delivery of President Lincoln’s Inaugural Address.

The Pony Express company lasted from April, 1860 to October, 1861. The completion of the Pacific Telegraph Line, failure to secure the exclusive government mail contract, and outbreak of the Civil War forced the company to stop its operations. Even though, it was short-lived, the Pony Express was a very important means of communication at the beginning of the Civil War. It helped to establish a reliable Northern-Central route that could be used for traveling during winter.

Today, the legacy of the Pony Express is still evident in the Central US region. Memorial statues are present in sites where its stations were located. The logo of the Pony Express has been used by many businesses throughout the years, and it is now trademarked by the United States Postal Services. The name “Pony Express” is now a trademark of Freight Link, an international courier service that is based in Russia.

• Hollenberg Pony Express Station: Web page that contains pictures and brief description of the Hollenberg Pony Express Station in Kansas.

• Weber Pony Express Station Monument: Information on the Weber Pony Express Station Monument in Utah.