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American express mail service
- The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company.
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The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company.
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The Pony Express was a system of U.S. mail delivery that operated from April 3, 1860, until October 1861. It consisted of continuous horse-and-rider relays between St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California, with steamers covering the final leg from Sacramento to San Francisco.
- The Pony Express was more than twice as fast as its competitors. In the mid-19th century, California-bound mail had to either be taken overland by a 25-day stagecoach or spend months inside a ship during a long sea voyage.
- It was a financial flop. Despite its enduring place in Old West legend, the Pony Express never turned a profit during its year and a half history. The company began making deliveries in April 1860, but service ground to a halt just a few weeks later when the Pyramid Lake War erupted between the United States and the Paiute Indians.
- There was a weight limit for Pony Express riders. Since speed was its main goal, the Pony Express went to great lengths to keep its horses’ loads as light as possible.
- Riders were required to take a loyalty oath. Pony Express courier. In exchange for their $100-150 monthly salaries—a substantial sum for the time—Pony Express riders were expected to take a loyalty oath that read: “I do hereby swear, before the Great and Living God, that during my engagement, and while an employee of Russell, Majors and Waddell, I will, under no circumstances, use profane language, that I will drink no intoxicating liquors, that I will not quarrel or fight with any other employee of the firm, and that in every respect I will conduct myself honestly, be faithful to my duties, and so direct all my acts as to win the confidence of my employers, so help me God.”
Learn about the Pony Express, a fast mail service that operated for 18 months between 1860 and 1861, connecting East and West in the Old West. Explore the trail's history, sites, exhibits, and auto tours.
The Pony Express was a mail delivery service that operated for 18 months between 1860 and 1861, using young riders and horses to cross the country. Learn about its history, route, facts and sites along the Pony Express National Historic Trail.
Learn how the Pony Express was established to provide faster mail service between the East and West before the Civil War. Discover the challenges, dangers, and achievements of the young riders and their horses on the 1,966-mile route.
Feb 13, 2024 · Where is this National Historic Trail? Take a look at interactive, historic, and trip planning maps to learn more about locations along the trail.
