In this day and age of computers and email, it’s probably hard to believe that mail was once delivered to the rugged American West by horseback, but that’s exactly what the Pony Express did.

The Pony Express was started by three men, William Russell, William Waddell and Alexander Majors who owned a freight business in Kansas City, Missouri. Telegraph service to the West was coming but had not yet happened. These men recognized a need for faster communications with the West, and the Pony Express was born.

The first mail shipment for the Pony Express was sent by train from Washington DC to St. Joseph, Missouri, north of Kansas City on March 31, 1860.

Three days later on April 3, a lone rider on horseback departed from St. Joseph, headed to Sacramento California, carrying a packet of mail to be delivered on the way west. At the same time, a rider left Sacramento, heading toward St. Joseph.

The Pony Express service consisted of relay teams of horses and riders at more than 100 stops along the route from Missouri to California. Eighty young men, including William “Buffalo Bill” Cody, were hired to ride for the Pony Express, each earning $25 per week. It cost the public $5 for every half-ounce of mail they wanted to send by the service.

The initial ride from St. Joseph to Sacramento took 9 days and 23 hours; the eastbound ride took 11 days and 12 hours. Each rider covered 75-100 miles along the route. Riders received fresh horses ever 10-15 miles. The relay riders of the Pony Express could cover 250 miles over rugged, dangerous territory in a 24 hour period. Each eastbound and westbound journey averaged 10 hours, which was about half the time it took to send mail by coach. The fastest delivery time for the Pony Express was just over 7 days; a record that was set when they were entrusted to carry President Lincoln’s Inaugural address from St. Joseph to a telegraph office in California.

The Pony Express lasted on 19 months, ending with the final ride on October 24, 1861. The service was no longer needed once the Pacific Telegraph line connecting the East and the West was completed.

The birthplace of the Pony Express, Pikes Peak Stables in St. Joseph, Missouri still stands today. Housed within this historic structure is the Pony Express Museum. Interactive and educational exhibits tell the story of the Pony Express to visitors of all ages.

The museum operates seven days a week. Hours are 9am-5pm Monday through Saturday, and 1pm-5pm on Sundays. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for senior citizens 60 and older, $2 for students aged 7-18. Children 6 and under are free.