Pony Express

The Pony Express began mail service April 1860 between St. Joseph, Missouri and San Francisco, California. The route was divided into five divisions, numbered east to west. The first leg ran from St. Joseph to Fort Kearny, Nebraska Territory on the Platte River. The second went to Horseshoe Station near Fort Laramie, Wyoming Territory. These traced the route of the Oregon and California trails, with a dip into today's Colorado at Julesburg. The third took the emigrant trail to Fort Bridger and the Salt Lake Valley in Utah. The fourth, to cross the Great Basin, ran south of the Great Salt Lake desert to Roberts Creek Station, north of today's Eureka, Nevada. The fifth leg was the toughest of the trip, crossing the Nevada desert and rugged Sierra Nevada, finally arriving at Sacramento and San Francisco.

We have seen bits of this fifth leg:  Cold Springs Station on US 50, west of Eureka, and Sacramento. Here is Cold Springs Station where we stopped May, 2008.

Then, in Old Sacramento, we once again "walked" in the steps of the Pony Express. As part of history, we will follow the other legs of the Pony Express in our travels.

Until next time!

Paws and Friends