Guest Author - Lin

The Pony Express was an 18 month long experiment that failed in its stated mission, but succeeded in capturing the hearts of many who heard about it and created a mythology that lives to this day.

Back in 1860, when the Pony Express was formed, there was no reliable way to get information back and forth to California from anywhere east of Missouri. The "Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company" was already handling freight and passenger service between these areas and wanted to win the government contract to handle mail too, as this would be quite lucrative.

To prove they could do it, they bought 400 horses, from pintos to mustangs and morgans, and put them at stations all along the route. Then they recruited young riders - most were around 20 - to do the rides.

Mail began at once a week, then quickly went to twice a week, over the 2,000 mile path. Delivery took about a week from one end to the other. Unfortunately, with the civil war, and with the telegraph line being finished in October 1861, the pony express was discontinued.