The Pony Express was a fast mail service crossing the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains from St. Joseph, MO, to Sacramento, CA, from April 1860 to October 1861. It became the west’s most direct means of communication and was vital for tying California closely with the Union just before the American Civil War.
It is unknown if riders tried crossing the Sierra Nevada in winter, but they certainly crossed central Nevada. By 1860 there was a telegraph station in Carson City, Nevada. The riders received $25 per week as pay. In comparison, the wage for unskilled labor at the time was about $1 per week.
Get your own letter delivered by The Pony Express at the Carson City Rendezvous!
Stop by the Territorial Post Office near the Pony Express mercantile booth. There you can write a letter on custom stationery and drop it in the mailbox.
Then, at the designated times listed below, you’ll be able to witness a re-enactment of the original Pony Express Mochilla Exchange and get your letter hand delivered to you, or the person you wrote it to, complete with an official postmark!
Meet members of the Nevada Division of The Pony Express and learn about how they keep the history of the Pony Express alive! You’ll also be able to support their cause by purchasing official memorabilia and momentos at their Quartermaster Station.
Exchange Schedule ~
Saturday, Jun. 9th – 1PM, 2:30PM, 5PM
Sunday, Jun. 10th – 11:30AM, 2PM
