Immediately California became a state in 1850 there were calls to improve communications with the east. It took a month to round the horn and mail ships departed monthly. This improved when the railroad was built accross Panama, cutting the time to 21 days. Still, this was considered too long.
The problem was solved when a canal was built connecting the headwaters of the Missouri River to those of the Snake River.
Seriously, the first solution was the Pony Express (1860), the second solution was the transcontinental telegraph (1861) and the third was the railroad (1869).
To maintain the rigid schedule, relay stations were located from 5 to 20 miles apart. At each Swing Station riders would exchange their tired mounts for fresh ones, while Home Stations housed the riders between runs. This technique allowed the mail to be whisked across the continent in record time. Each rider rode about 75 miles per day.
The route varied locally during the 19-1/2 months of operation. Not all of the stations listed below were used all of the time. Some were either substituted or added at various times.
Missouri
St. Joseph
Kansas
Elwood
Cold Springs
Troy
Kennekuk
Granada
Log Chain
Seneca
Guittard's
Marysville
Cottonwood (or Hollenberg's Ranch)
Nebraska
Rock Creek
Big Sandy
Thompson's
Kiowa
Little Blue
Liberty Farm
Lone Tree
32-Mile Creek
Summit
Fairfield
Hook's
Fort Kearny
Platte Station
Craig
Seventeen Mile
Plum Creek
Willow Island Ranch
Midway
Gilman's Ranch
Cottonwood Springs
Junction House Ranch
Fremont Springs
O'Fallons' Bluff (or Halfway House)
Elkhorn
Alkali Lake
Sand Hill
Beauvais Ranch
Diamond Springs
Colorado
South Platte
Julesburg
Nebraska
Lodge Pole
30-Mile Ridge
Mud Springs
Courthouse Rock
Chimney Rock
Ash Hollow
Scott's Bluff
Fort Mitchell
Wyoming
Spring Ranch
Torrington
Bedeaus's Ranch
Fort Laramie
Ward's (Or Central Star)
Horseshoe Creek
LaBonte
Orin
Douglas
Fetterman
Box Elder Creek
Deer Creek
Glenrock
Platte Bridge (Casper)
Red Buttes
Willow Springs
Sweetwater
Split Rock
Rock Creek
Three Crossings
Rocky Ridge
Horse Creek
Quaking Asp Creek
South Pass
Pacific Springs
Dry Sandy
Big Sandy
Green River
Ham's Fork
Millersville
Fort Bridger
Muddy Creek
Quaking Asp Springs
Bear River
Utah
Needle Rocks
Weber
CarsonHouse
Dixie Creek
Snyder's Mill
Big Canyon Creek
Salt Lake City
Traveler's Rest
Rockwell's
Joe's Dugout
Camp Floyd (Later, Fort Crittenden)
Rush Valley
Point Lookout
Egan's Springs (Or Simpson's Springs or Lost Springs)
River Bed
Dugway
Fish Springs
Boyd's
Canyon Station
Willow Springs
Deep Creek
Nevada
Antelope Springs
Spring Valley
Schell Creek
Egan's Canyon
Butte
Mountain Springs
Ruby Valley
Jacob's Wells
Diamond Springs
Sulphur Springs
Robert's Creek
Camp Station
Dry Creek
Cape Horn
Simpson's Park
Reese River
Edwards Creek
Cold Springs
Sand Springs
Stillwater
Sink of the Carson
Williams Station (Or Honey Lake Smith's)
Buckland's
Fort Churchill
Miller's Station
Reed's
Dayton
Carson City
Genoa
Friday's
California
Woodford's
Lakeside
Yank's
Strawberry
Webster's
Moss
Sportsman Hall
Placerville
El Dorado
Mormon Tavern
15-mile House
5-mile House
January 1860: William H. Russell and U.S. Senator William M. Gwen meet to discuss establishing a 10-day mail service to California. Russell then met with Alexander Majors and William B. Waddell, to form the Pony Express.
March 1860: First ad placed for riders.
April 3, 1860: Pony Express begins operations with the first rider (Johnny Frey) leaving from St. Joseph, Missouri.
April 3, 1860:James Randall carries the first eastbound Pony Express mail from the Alta Telegraph Company, Montgomery Street, to the San Francisco wharf where it is placed on the steamer "New World" for transport to Sacramento.
April 4, 1860: First eastbound run (rider Sam Hamilton) by the Pony Express leaves Sacramento, California, at 2:45 a.m.
April 13, 1860: First Eastern mail arrives in Sacramento (rider Sam Hamilton).
April 23, 1860: First westbound mail to be routed overland between Sacramento and Oakland arrives in Benicia, California. Rider Sam Hamilton delivered the mochila to Thomas Bedford who carried the mail on to Oakland.
October 18, 1861: Westward building crew of the transcontinental telegraph project, under the direction of Edward Creighton, arrives in Salt Lake City, Utah.
October 24, 1861: Eastward building crew of the transcontinental telegraph project, under the direction of James Gamble, arrives in Salt Lake City, Utah.
October 26, 1861: Pony Express officially ceased operations.
November 21, 1861: Last run of the Pony Express completed.
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© HWS, 1999
