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Social Studies for Kids

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The Pony Express

The Pony Express is one of the most enduring symbols of the Westward Expansion of the United States.

It began as a way to maintain communication between the "old" U.S. and the "new" state of California, which entered the Union in 1850. The Pony Express was primarily a mail-carry system. Riders carried the mail in satchels, and speed was the name of the game.

Before the Pony Express, the U.S. had three main methods of getting mail to the West Coast.

One was by ship, from New York or other ports, across the Isthmus of Panama (no Panama Canal yet) by mule, then by another ship to San Francisco. Most of the mail traveled on this route.

Another route used covered wagons and stagecoaches and went relatively straight across the country, from Independence, Missouri, to Sacramento, California.

The third route was also covered wagons and stagecoaches and had a name and reputation. It was the Butterfield Overland Mail Company, and its route went on a southern path to the West coast.

By the time the Civil War was brewing, however, Northern states wanted more rapid communication with California. That, coupled with increases in settlement in the lands in between the Midwest and the West Coast, helped bring about the beginning of the Pony Express.

It was the brainchild of William H. Russell, William B. Waddell, and Alexander Majors. A 1966-mile trail was agreed on from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento. The first riders left on April 3, 1860. They left from both St. Joseph and Sacramento. The western journey took 9 days and 23 hours. The eastern journey took 11 days and 12 hours.

Why the two journeys took different times to arrive illustrates the natural hazard of the Pony Express: It was dangerous! Riders had little protection, from people or from the weather. The route went through the Rocky Mountains, which often had snow well into the spring and early summer. Much of this territory wasn't entirely settled yet, and riders made easy targets for bandits or even Native Americans who didn't want their lands taken over.

The Pony Express riders' best asset was the speed of their horses. A rider on healthy horses could cover 250 miles in a day, more than twice what a covered wagon or stagecoach could. For this reason (as well as to get the mail back and forth as quickly as possible), riders changed horses every 75 miles or so, at "way stations" along the route. Riders wouldn't ride the entire way. Often, they would ride several hundred miles and then give way to other riders (and horses).

Riders had to weigh less than 125 pounds, so they wouldn't overload the horses. The riders' ages varied, from 11 to nearly 50. They earned $100 a month, which was better pay than they could doing other "less exciting" jobs. One of the most famous riders was Buffalo Bill Cody.

The Pony Express at its height included 183 riders, 165 way stations, and between 400 and 500 horses. It was a short-lived enterprise, however. The last rider completed his route on October 24, 1861, just 19 months after the Pony Express began. The introduction of the telegraph made the Pony Express unnecessary.

The company that started the Pony Express also lost lots of money. They put up $700,000 initially and ended up losing $200,000 more. Only one rider was ever lost. Only one mail shipment was ever lost. The dramatic nature of the enterprise, however, has made the Pony Express live in on the American memory.

Click here for more Pony Express facts.

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The Pony Express The Pony Express is one of the most enduring symbols of the Westward Expansion of the United States. It began as a way to maintain communication between the "old" U.S. and the "new" state of California, which entered the Union in 1850. The Pony Express was primarily a mail-carry system.

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Ducksters Article

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Westward Expansion

Pony Express Rider
by Frank E. Webner

History >> Westward Expansion
The Pony Express was a mail delivery service that ran between Missouri and California. Using the Pony Express, mail could arrive in California in as few as 9 days rather than the weeks it took to arrive when sent by horse carriage.

How did it work?

The Pony Express used a planned out route with a number of stations along the way. Riders would carry the mail from station to station, switching to fresh horses at each station. Every hundred or so miles the rider would be replaced. This allowed the mail to be constantly moving at a good speed.

The Route

The route used by the Pony Express went from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California. There were 184 stations along the 1,900 mile route. It followed the Oregon Trail for a ways, and then used the Mormon Trail to Salt Lake City. The trail traveled over the Rocky Mountains, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and finally to California.

Pony Express Route
from the National Park Service

The Riders
The riders of the Pony Express made $100 a month, which was pretty good money for the time. They worked hard, riding in bad weather, rough terrain, and in dangerous situations. In order to keep the weight down that the horses had to carry, the riders had to weigh less than 125 pounds. A lot of the riders were young, tough, skinny, teenagers who were willing to face the dangers of the ride for the excitement of the job and the money they could earn.

When did the Pony Express run?

The Pony Express was a business. Despite its place in American history, it didn't stay open very long. It opened on April 3, 1860 and closed on October 24, 1861. At the height of its business it had over 400 horses and around 180 riders.

Pony Express Poster
by Unknown

Why did it end?

The Pony Express was forced to close after the opening of the transcontinental telegraph. Telegraphs could be sent much faster and with less expense. In the end, the business venture that was the Pony Express lost a lot of money and became outdated fairly quickly.

Interesting Facts about the Pony Express

The first riders left from Sacramento and St. Joseph on April 3, 1860. They each arrived around 10 days later.

In the winter, the trip generally took around two days longer than in the summer.

The most famous of the Pony Express riders was Buffalo Bill who earned fame putting on Wild West shows.

The initial cost to send a ½ ounce letter was $5. That was a lot of money back in 1860. Prices were lowered to $1 for a ½ ounce letter by the end of the Pony Express.

Only one rider and one shipment of mail were lost during the running of the Pony Express.

Riders would travel 75 to 100 miles a day, switching horses every 10 to 12 miles.

The fastest delivery in the history of the Pony Express was seven days and seventeen hours. It was to deliver President Abraham Lincoln's inaugural address.

The Pony Express was started by William H. Russell, William B. Waddell, and Alexander Majors.

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Works Cited
History >> Westward Expansion

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Kids learn about the Pony Express from the Old West. Riders would swap horses at stations to deliver the mail faster to and from California.

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Pony Express Poster

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Riders Wanted Poster

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Pony Express Riders

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Map of the Pony Express Route

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Pony Express Stations on Map

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Pony Express Mochila

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3 minute history of the Pony Express

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The Pony Express: Wells Fargo and the History of the American West

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Pony Express: 3 minute history ofpony  express