Pony Express

Where the telegraph line ended in 1860, older methods of communications prevailed. The Pony Express was a delivery system that used a relay chain of riders and horses to carry the mail between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California. Service began on April 3, 1860 and continued until October 1861. Initially the stations were set 25 miles apart, with a fresh horse supplied at each station and a fresh rider after three stations, or about 75 miles. Later, intermediate stations were estab...