Pony Express Mail Service – 1860-1861
Our own Marv Mondy gave a wonderful presentation on the history of the short lived Pony Express Mail Service from St. Joseph, MO to Sacramento, CA (with branches to additional cities).
Marv has traveled across the entire United States more than 20 times in his life and became interested in the Pony Express after seeing road signs mentioning mail stops, and then learning his wife’s great grandfather worked on Buffalo Bill’s ranch.
He discussed the Butterfield Stage route, the USS California Steamship, the requirements for Pony Express riders, hazards along the route, and the quick demise of the venture due to the telegraph and Railroad completion. He also showed off a 19th century pistol that riders would have carried and an assortment of stamps and covers depicting the Pony Express.
