How fast did the Pony Express ride?
During his route of 80 to 100 miles (130 to 160 km), a Pony Express rider would change horses 8 to 10 times. The horses were ridden at a fast trot, canter, or gallop, around 10 to 15 miles per hour (16 to 24 km/h) and at times they were driven to full gallop at speeds up to 25 miles per hour (40 km/h).
What made the Pony Express horses so special?
The horses had to be exceptional. The mail was carried about 200 miles a day no matter the weather. They had to be able to out run the fast ponies of the indigenous tribes and to continue the pace if relay stations were destroyed. During his route of 80 to 100 miles, a Pony Express rider would change horses eight to 10 times.
How much did the Pony Express riders get paid?
For this fast-as-possible ride into hell and back, a rider in the Pony Express would get $100.00 a month, which was a huge amount compared to other professionals who might make $1.00 a day! One any given day, there were about 80 riders and horses galloping across the country in various stages of the relays. And speed was mandatory!
How many states did the Pony Express Travel in 10 days?
With riders traveling at an average pace of 10 miles per hour around the clock, the 1966-mile route passed through eight modern-day states in 10 days. (When the Pony Express began, only Missouri and California were officially states.)
How many years did the Pony Express last?
In operation for only 18 months between April 1860 and October 1861, the Pony Express nevertheless has become synonymous with the Old West. In the era before electronic communication, the Pony Express was the thread that tied East to West.
What was the deadliest job on the Pony Express?
Riders didn't have the deadliest job on the Pony Express. Pony Express riders had to deal with extreme weather conditions, harsh terrain and the threat of attacks by bandits and Indians, but life may have been even more dangerous for the stock keepers who manned the relief stations.
What horses were used in the Pony Express?
Horses Used: Mustangs, Morgans, Pintos, and Thoroughbreds. Mochila: Saddlebag designed especially for the Pony Express to carry the mail. On the eastern end they were made by saddle maker Israel Landis.
How many riders were killed on the Pony Express?
7. How many Pony Express riders died on the job? There is historical documentation that four Pony riders were killed by Indians;one was hanged for murder after he got drunk and killed a man;one died in an unrelated accident;and two froze to death.
Were there any female Pony Express riders?
Answer and Explanation: There were no known female Pony Express riders. However, some of the 'stations' at which the Pony Express riders stopped to change horses or to hand-off the mail to a new rider were owned by or run by women.
How much were Pony Express riders paid?
The riders were paid $25 a week, which in those days was good money. Each carried a gun, a waterbag and the mail, in a pouch specially designed to survive even if the horse and rider did not. Riders changed to a fresh horse at each station along the way and handed over to a new rider every 75 to 100 miles.
How far did a Pony Express rider ride in a day?
75 to 100 milesThe Pony Express route was nearly 2,000 miles (3,200 km) long overland, had about 190 stations (mostly in Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada), and required about 10 days to cover. Each rider generally rode 75 to 100 miles (120 to 160 km) and changed horses every 10 to 15 miles (16 to 24 km).
What did Pony Express riders eat?
meat subjected to half sod, half stew, and lastly, bread, raised with sour milk corrected with soda, and so baked that the taste of the flour is ever prominent, we paid $0.75 [equivalent to $ 20.00 today] at a station near Fort Laramie…'Our breakfast was prepared in the usual prairie style.
How fast were Pony Express horses?
10 miles per hourThe Pony Express was set up to provide a fresh horse every 10-15 miles and a fresh rider every 75-100 miles. 75 horses were needed total to make a one-way trip. Average speed was 10 miles per hour. On April 9 at 6:45 p.m., the first rider from the east reached Salt Lake City, Utah.
Did the Pony Express riders carry guns?
Ten days later, at 1:00 a.m. on April 14, the package was finally delivered by another rider to its destination in San Francisco, California. In addition to the mailbag, the Pony Express riders carried two things: a Bible, and a gun.
Who was the last living Pony Express rider?
The last living rider was John Jackson, who died on a ranch in Nevada at the age of 106. The most famous ride was made by "Pony Bob", Robert Haslam, on his route from Smith's Creek to Fort Churchill in Nevada. He rode one hundred twenty miles in eight hours, ten minutes.
Who was the youngest Pony Express rider?
Bronco CharlieAnd so, Bronco Charlie, Pony Express Rider was born. There were 240 riders and Charlie was the youngest. You had to be small and hardy to ride, you could weigh but 125 pounds.
Did the Pony Express riders carry guns?
Ten days later, at 1:00 a.m. on April 14, the package was finally delivered by another rider to its destination in San Francisco, California. In addition to the mailbag, the Pony Express riders carried two things: a Bible, and a gun.
How far did the Pony Express riders go in one day?
75 to 100 miles aRiders would travel 75 to 100 miles a day, switching horses every 10 to 12 miles. The fastest delivery in the history of the Pony Express was seven days and seventeen hours.
Who was the youngest Pony Express rider?
Bronco CharlieAnd so, Bronco Charlie, Pony Express Rider was born. There were 240 riders and Charlie was the youngest. You had to be small and hardy to ride, you could weigh but 125 pounds.
Who was the last living Pony Express rider?
The last living rider was John Jackson, who died on a ranch in Nevada at the age of 106. The most famous ride was made by "Pony Bob", Robert Haslam, on his route from Smith's Creek to Fort Churchill in Nevada. He rode one hundred twenty miles in eight hours, ten minutes.
What is the mail pouch called?
At each station, the express rider would change to a fresh horse, taking only the mail pouch called a mochila (from the Spanish for pouch or backpack) with him. The employers stressed the importance of the pouch. They often said that, if it came to be, the horse and rider should perish before the mochila did.
How long did the Pony Express last?
Operated by Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company, the Pony Express was of great financial importance to the U.S. During its 18 months of operation, it reduced the time for messages to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to about 10 days.
How many stations were there on the Pony Express?
Along the long and arduous route used by the Pony Express, 190 stations were used. The stations and station keepers were essential to the successful, timely, and smooth operation of the Pony Express mail system. The stations were often fashioned out of existing structures, several of them located in military forts, while others were built anew in remote areas where living conditions were very basic. The route was divided into five divisions. To maintain the rigid schedule, 157 relay stations were located from 5 to 25 miles (8 to 40 km) apart, as the terrain would allow. At each "swing station", riders would exchange their tired mounts for fresh ones, while "home stations" provided room and board for the riders between runs. This technique allowed the mail to be moved across the continent in record time. Each rider rode about 75 miles (120 km) per day.
What is the date on the cover of the stolen Pony Express?
Notation on cover reads "recovered from a mail stolen by the Indians in 1860" and bears a New York backstamp of May 3, 1862, the date when it was finally delivered in New York. The cover is also franked with U.S. Postage issue of 1857, Washington, 10c black.
How long did it take for the Pony Express to go bankrupt?
Despite a heavy subsidy, the Pony Express was not a financial success and went bankrupt in 18 months, when faster telegraph service was established. Nevertheless, it demonstrated that a unified transcontinental system of communications could be established and operated year-round.
What is the Pony Express?
For other meanings of "Pony express", see Pony Express (disambiguation). The Pony Express was a mail service delivering messages, newspapers, and mail using relays of horse-mounted riders that operated from April 3, 1860, to October 26, 1861, between Missouri and California in the United States of America .
Why was the Pony Express important?
This was an important event because just four years earlier, in the prior election, it took months to get news of James Buchanan’s win. The election of Lincoln was important because the newly-named president would have to take the country into the Civil War. Prior to the election, Russell hired extra riders to ensure that fresh riders and relay horses were available along the route. On November 7, 1860, a Pony Express rider departed Fort Kearny, Nebraska Territory (the end of the eastern telegraph line) with the election results. Riders briskly traversed the route, over snow-covered trails to Fort Churchill, Nevada Territory (the end of the western telegraph line). California's newspapers received word of Lincoln's election only 7 days and 17 hours after the East Coast papers, an "unrivaled feat at the time".
How many states did the Pony Express pass through?
With riders traveling at an average pace of 10 miles per hour around the clock, the 1966-mile route passed through eight modern-day states in 10 days. (When the Pony Express began, only Missouri and California were officially states.)
What kind of horses did the Pony Express use?
Accounts of the types of horses used by the Pony Express vary; in his 1893 autobiography, Pony Express co-founder Alexander Majors wrote that "The horses were mostly half-breed California mustangs, as alert and energetic as their riders, and their part in the service sure-footed and fleet was invaluable.".
How did the Paiute War affect the Pony Express?
The Paiute War between Native Americans and white settlers in modern-day Nevada and Utah did affect service during the spring and summer of 1860 though. During one ride during the spring of 1860, express riders were escorted through Nevada to protect them from attacks. As a result, the mail took 31 days to reach Missouri, the longest of any of the eastbound Pony Express rides [ PDF ]. The National Park Service reports that four riders were killed on their way to deliver mail ( some say that most of the employees killed by those ambushes were station masters, not riders, but at least one rider was killed during this period of conflict). The National Park Service reports that one other rider died in an accident and two froze to death, while other accounts add that at least a few riders died after being thrown from their horses. And one rider disappeared along his route never to be seen again. His mail pouch was found two years later.
What did Pony Express riders wear?
In Roughing It, Mark Twain (who, we should note, was not always known for his adherence to the truth) described seeing a rider for the Pony Express speed by wearing clothes that were "thin, and fitted close; he wore a 'round-about,' and a skull-cap, and tucked his pantaloons into his boot-tops like a race-rider."
Where is the Pony Express station in Kansas?
The Hollenberg Pony Express station near Hanover, Kansas is the most intact Pony Express station left. It’s the only one still standing on its original site with its original dimensions. Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress // Public Domain
Where did the Pony Express take place?
11 Facts About the Pony Express. On April 3, 1860, in St. Joseph, Missouri, a young rider (probably) named Johnny Fry stuffed a mail pouch containing 49 letters, five telegrams, and other various papers into a tailor-made saddle pack and dashed off on his horse, Sylph, heading west. Almost 2000 miles away, his California counterpart, Harry Roff, ...
When was the Pony Express invented?
The Pony Express plays a bit of an oversized role in the popular imagination, considering how long it actually existed. Launched in April 1860 , it operated for less than 19 months before the first trans-continental telegraph line was completed, connecting California to East Coast cities, no ponies necessary.
Why was the Pony Express used?
That was still steep for everyday people and the Pony Express was mainly used to deliver newspaper reports, government dispatches and business documents, mostly printed on tissue-thin paper to keep costs (and weight) down. The service was a financial disaster and never made a profit.
When was the Pony Express designated?
The Pony Express route was designated the Pony Express National Historic Trail on Aug. 3, 1992, by an act of Congress. You can tour the route, visit interpretive sites and museums, and hike, bike or horseback ride various trail segments.
What is the purpose of the Pony Express Trail?
The National Pony Express Association (NPEA) is a nonprofit, volunteer-led historical organization whose purpose is to preserve the original Pony Express trail and to continue the memory and importance of Pony Express in American history. Since 1980, the NPEA holds an annual re-ride in June.
What was the name of the bag used on the Pony Express?
The Pony Express used mailbags known as mochilas , the Spanish word for pouch or backpack. It was a leather saddle cover held in place by the rider’s weight. The four padlocked pockets — three for mail and one for the rider’s timecard — could hold up to 20 pounds of cargo.
How long did it take to get mail from the Pony Express?
In the mid-1800s, it took either 25 days to get mail to California via stagecoach or months aboard a ship, but the Pony Express took about 10 days.
How old was Bronco when he joined the ranks?
“Bronco” Charlie Miller claimed he was only 11 when he joined the ranks.
How long was the first 185 mile run?
In spite of the odds, the first 185 mile run between Sacramento and Fort Churchill, Nevada, was made in 15 hours and 20 minutes and the route included miles of mountain trails deep in snow.
How many miles did Pony Bob have?
It was partly good horse-flesh which permitted such record runs as that of “Pony Bob” Haslam during the Pah-Ute war. He covered 380 miles of hostile country, being thirty-six hours in the saddle. This year marks the eightieth anniversary of the founding of the Pony Express.
Where did the horses come from in the Eastern Division?
For the eastern division, much blooded American stock seems to have been chosen. That many of these animals came from the United States Army is indicated by the following item from the Missouri Free Democrat: ” The stables of the Pony Express Company are being rapidly filled with horses bought from Captain McKissack at Leavenworth.” About the mounts for the central division, practically nothing is known, but it is safe to assume that a good proportion of them were of Western stock. Fortunately, the record is more full regarding the horses used on the western end of the line.
What did one passenger say about the Butterfield horses?
One Eastern passenger on that line recorded his praise of these animals in the following words: “I have had long and great experience in horses, but had not the least possible idea in favor of the native California stock. The have been well selected, are of good size , not too heavy, strong and full of spirit, remarkably free travelers, and possessing the most wonderful powers of endurance.”
Where did the Pony Express go?
Since that fateful January day in 1860 when William H. Russell had announced that he had “determined to establish a Pony Express to Sacramento, California, commencing the 3rd of April, time 10 days,” the resources of the powerful firm of Russell, Majors and Wadell, pioneer freighters and stagecoach operators, had been devoted to seeing that the mail ponies would go through on schedule. For purposes of supervision and supply, the proposed route was divided into three divisions. The eastern section, from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Salt Lake City lay along an already established stage line, but further westward practically an entirely new series of stations had to be built across the deserts and mountains to California. The division from Salt Lake City to Eagle Valley, Nevada, was under the charge of B.F. Ficklin, while W.W. Finney controlled the western division, which stretched the remaining three hundred miles to Sacramento.
Overview
Horses
At the west end of the Pony Express route in California, W.W. Finney purchased 100 head of short-coupled stock called "California horses", while A.B. Miller purchased another 200 native ponies in and around the Great Salt Lake Valley. The horses were ridden quickly between stations, an average distance of 15 miles (24 km), and then were relieved and a fresh horse was exchanged for th…
Inception and founding
The idea of having a fast mail route to the Pacific Coast was prompted largely by California's newfound prominence and its rapidly growing population. After gold was discovered there in 1848, thousands of prospectors, investors, and businessmen made their way to California, at that time a new territory of the U.S. By 1850, California entered the Union as a free state. By 1860, the popul…
Operation
In 1860, the roughly 186 Pony Express stations were about 10 miles (16 km) apart along the Pony Express route. At each station, the express rider would change to a fresh horse, taking only the mail pouch called a mochila (from the Spanish for pouch or backpack) with him.
The employers stressed the importance of the pouch. They often said that, if it …
Pony Express route
Beginning at St. Joseph, Missouri, the approximately 1,900-mile-long (3,100 km) route roughly followed the Oregon and California Trails to Fort Bridger in Wyoming, and then the Mormon Trail (known as the Hastings Cutoff) to Salt Lake City, Utah. From there, it followed the Central Nevada Route to Carson City, Nevada Territory, before passing over the Sierra and reaching to Sacramento, California. …
First journeys
The first westbound Pony Express trip left St. Joseph on April 3, 1860, and arrived 10 days later in Sacramento, California, on April 14. These letters were sent under cover from the east to St. Joseph, and never directly entered the U.S. mail system. Today, only a single letter is known to exist from the inaugural westbound trip from St. Joseph to Sacramento. It was delivered in an envelop…
As the Pony Express mail service existed only briefly in 1860 and 1861, few examples of Pony Express mail survive. Contributing to the scarcity of Pony Express mail is that the cost to send a 1⁄2-ounce (14 g) letter was $5.00 at the beginning (equivalent to $150 in 2021 , or 21⁄2 days of semi-skilled labor ). By the end of the Pony Express, the price had dropped to $1.00 per 1⁄2 ounce bu…
Fastest mail service
William Russell, senior partner of Russell, Majors, and Waddell, and one of the biggest investors in the Pony Express, used the 1860 presidential election, of Abraham Lincoln, as a way to promote the Pony Express and how fast it could deliver the U.S. Mail. This was an important event because just four years earlier, in the prior election, it took months to get news of James Buchanan’s win. The election of Lincoln was important because the newly-named president wou…