The Pony Express

• by George Bailey • Published: March 27, 2007

Established in 1860, The Pony Express was the first serious attempt to accelerate mail delivery between the east and west. Stagecoaches were replaced by horseback riders, a practical substitution since the speed of mail delivery had always depended on climate and season. Now, it could not only be delivered at a radically faster pace; it could also function year round. The Pony Express organized one year before the start of the Civil War, locating its headquarters in St. Joseph. In earlier times, mail going west had had to circle all the way around the tip of South America, or over a slightly improved twenty-five day route through El Paso, Texas. More central routes cut the trip by 600 miles. While The Pony Express was very short-lived (it dismantled in one year), it maintains a fascinating aura in American history and myth.