Pony Express and the Central Route
Keetley's letter [in Visscher's book] is so full of confusion and obvious mistakes that it would be easy to dismiss it completely. Colonel Visscher, as was his editorial practice, printed the entire…
Snow Interruption of Pony Express
Cleve then went on to recount riding in late January or early February 1861 during a raging blizzard that was so bad there had been no Pony Express or stages…
Pony Route in the East Bay
Steamers usually took the mail back and forth; a Pony rider would board the ship, enjoy the ride, then gallop off to deliver the letters. Deliveries went as far as Oakland, on…
Pony Express Route Shortened
From the Leavenworth Daily Times, August 29, 1861. St. Joseph, Aug. 26.— The Pony Express has been abandoned between St. Joseph and a station 110 miles west [Marysville]. Letters will…
Raveled Ends of the Cord
The old Overland Trail, taken as a whole, is rightly spoken of as the cord that held the East and West together during the troubled years before the Civil War.…
Jules Stretch
This stretch of the road, from Julesburg to "French Louie's" [Pole Creek Station] was known as the "Jules Stretch." The stretch of road going from the Pole Creek crossing and…
The Pony Express Takes Over Chorpenning’s Route
Happily, as it turns out, for the Pony Express, the Central Overland Trail was also developed as a stagecoach and mail-by-mule route by a hardworking competitor, George W. Chorpenning. Chorpenning…
mIle 917: Fort Casper
Site of Fort Caspar/Platte Bridge Station, Fort Caspar Museum, 1847 Mormon Ferry, and Guinard Bridge. Fort Casper was a focus of 19th century emigration, commercial, and military activity. In 1847, Brigham…
Mile 1655: Rock Springs Pass
"Now comes the 2,000 foot climb up and over Rock Springs Pass, the highest point along the entire Pony Express Trail, higher even than South Pass in the Rockies, or…
Mile 1677: Egan Canyon
"Special recognition is given to this canyon simply because it is given so much notice by the literature. Egan Canyon was named for Howard Egan who pioneered Chorpenning's mail service through there in…
Mile 1480: Route Alternate
At Mile 1480 (west side of Fish Springs, UT), the XP Bikepacking continues north on the Pony Express-Overland Stage Trail to go around the north end of the Fish Springs…
Mile 1795: Route Alternate
At the Pony Express Monument marked on the XP Route map just past Mile 1794, there are two possible routes. The first turns southwest and heads more or less straight…
Mile 1741: Diamond Springs Station
The station site and the Pony Express Monument are in separate locations. The site is at https://goo.gl/maps/6ecT5eFvKsvLdtXM9. In satellite view, it appears there is a cutoff from the XP Trail…
Mile 1557: Route Alternate
According to one source (William Hill, p. 214), the road over Rock Springs Pass was a summer shortcut. Winters, the route ran around the south of the Antelope Mountains. According…
Mile 1491: Boyd/Butte/Desert Station
"Fourteen miles from Fish Springs Station, via a road around the north end of the Fish Springs Range and nine miles over the pass to the west of the station. Although…