Ever been in Gothenburg, NE? Early Friday morning September 03, 2021 I was heading west on I-80 towards Alta, Wyoming when I saw a sign for an original Pony Express Station in Gothenburg, NE. Since I had never been to a Pony Express Station I pulled off I-80 and found there was also a Sod House in this small town. So I followed the arrows through town to the original location of the Sam Macchette, Pony Express Station, which was originally located south of Gothenburg.
No entrance fees to these small museums run by volunteers. Great little town to stop and stretch after driving over 700 miles from Illinois.
The Pony Express was a delivery service for newspapers and mail using relays of young horse-mounted riders that operated for about 18 months between 1860 to 1861. This service took about 10 days for delivery between Missouri to California. It was put out of business by the railroad and telegraph services.
Stations were about 5 to 25 miles apart depending on the terrain for riders to exchange their tired mounts for fresh ones, Riders, who could not weigh over 125 pounds, they rode about 75–100 miles at a time, day and night. The riders were paid $125 a month. (As a comparison, the wage for unskilled labor at the time was about $0.43–$1 a day!)
Legend has it that “Buffalo Bill” Cody helped build a few Stations further west and did some riding for the Pikes Peak Express Company. Pikes Peak Express Company was the owner of 157 Stations.
Some Nevada Stations were attack by Indians allowing horses to be released. Now maybe ancestors of the Wild Mustangs seen at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
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