Wednesday in Wyoming - May 8, 2024

 

Last week we saw what the Pony Express required of its riders, but the young men were only part of the equation. Equally important were the horses. They had to be fast, reliable, and able to carry not only the rider (who could weigh no more than 125 pounds) and forty pounds of mail and other materials in the specially designed saddles.

Wednesday in Wyoming _ May 1, 2024

 

There were so many interesting exhibits at the Historic Trails Museum in Casper that I decided to feature it again this month.

Although it was only in operation for 18 months, the Pony Express earned a spot in American  history, often being romanticized. 

The advertisement for riders makes the job sound anything but romantic. In case you can't read the fine print, here's what it says:

Wanted young, skinny, wiry fellows not over eighteen. Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred. 

That doesn't sound like a good deal to me, but the $25 weekly pay was a definite lure ... if you lived to collect it.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- January 27, 2016

If you've read accounts of the pioneers' journey west, you've probably seen references to Split Rock. As you can see, the split is sizable, meaning it's clearly visible from quite a distance.

It wasn't only the pioneers who used Split Rock as a navigational guide.  So too did trappers, native Americans and even the Pony Express.  That's one of the reasons for this monument.

You may not be able to read all the lettering on the sign, but I wanted to share the drawing at the top with you.  Here you can see the various groups that depended on Split Rock.  I particularly like the image of the Pony Express horse and rider.