The Pony Express - St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California

This Missouri Mayhem episode provides an overview of the Pony Express, a mail service that operated from April 1860 to October 1861, using relays of young riders on horses to deliver mail across approximately 2000 miles from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California. The service was prompted by California's rapidly growing population and aimed to deliver mail in about 10 days. Despite its speed and innovation, the Pony Express was not a financial success and went bankrupt after 18 months, largely due to the advent of the transcontinental telegraph.

Resources & References:

• National Geographic Society

https://education.nationalgeographic.org

• National Pony Express Association

https://nationalponyexpress.org

• LibGuides

https://slcl.libguides.com

• Buffalo Bill Center of the West

https://centerofthewest.org

• PBS Learning Media

https://www.pbslearningmedia.org

• National Park Service

https://www.nps.gov

• National Postal Museum

https://postalmuseum.si.edu

• Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org

• Rainbow Resource Center

https://www.rainbowresource.com

• The Philatelic Foundation