April 3rd, 2024
| Company: | Smithsonian Institute |
| Web site: | http://postalmuseum.si.edu/research/articles-from-enroute/the-story-of-the-pony-express.html |
The Pony Express was a mail-delivery system using horses and riders. It began when the first rider left St. Joseph, MO, heading west. The following day another rider headed east from Sacramento, CA. For $5 an ounce, letters were delivered within 10 days. There were 190 way stations between 10 and 15 miles apart, and each rider had a “run” of between 75 and 100 miles. The Pony Express lasted less than two years, ceasing operation in October 1861, when the overland telegraph was completed.
