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Founded in 1860 by freighting partners William Russell, Alexander Majors, and William Waddell, the Pony Express was an attempt to take away from the
Overland Mail Company the $1million government contract for mail delivery between east and west.
The mail was carried in relays with each rider covering 75 to 100 miles. Riders would change horses at relay stations spaced 10 to 12 miles
apart. The horses averaged
10 miles per hour and each rider changed horses 8 to 10 times.
The 1,800 mile central route began in St. Joseph, Missouri and ended in Sacramento, California. Good weather or bad, the route was traversed in
10 days.
With the completion of the transcontinental telegraph, the Pony Express became obsolete. Even though it operated for only 18 months, the Pony Express
continues to represent the very essence of the Old West.
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