![]() In addition to the above, there are numerous state stops, telegraph stations, military posts and river crossings that played an important role in the history of the trails. Important historical sites along the trail include Independence Rock, Devil's Gate, Split Rock, Ice Slough, Rocky Ridge, Willie's Handcart Disaster Site, South Pass and Parting of the Ways. The trails facilitated a major part of the westward expansion of the United States during the 19th century and area a major part of the colorful history of the Rocky Mountain west. In addition, the landscape surrounding this segment looks virtually the same as it did 150 years ago when the first emigrants passed through the area. This portion of the trail corridor has special significance because it contains many miles of well-preserved trail and numerous nationally recognized sites. These lists have tried to include all names that are found in the historic literature.Four National Historic Trails (NHTs), the Oregon, Mormon Pioneer, California, and Pony Express, share the same corridor through central Wyoming known as the South Pass region. Some variations simply appear to be transcription errors. Some are based on location or station master names, distances from or to, etc. The areas of what are now KS, NE, CO, WY, UT & NV were still “territorial lands”.) Station names often varied between authors and historians, and many stations had different names at any given time. (FYI: Only two states of the Pony Express Trail actually existed at the time: Missouri and California. The station listings are in east-to-west order, using present state boundaries. Stations were added or deleted when necessary. Not all the stations listed were used all of the time. The Pony Express Trail route went through a number of changes over time, to adjust to ground conditions, seasonal weather or other circumstances. Russell, Majors and Waddell actually suspended delivery between Carson City and Salt Lake City for about a month in June 1860. Stations were attacked and the horses stolen, the stations burned and keepers killed, especially during the Pauite Indian War starting in May 1860. It was isolated, primitive and dangerous. ![]() However, their success would have been impossible without the station keepers and stock tenders. The Pony Express Riders were brave and to be admired. Two minutes was allotted for horse and mochila exchanges at each station. Each rider rode about 75-100 miles per shift, changing horses 5-8 times or so. This arrangement allowed the mail to speed across the country in record time. There were about 25 home stations along the route. Home stations (usually the older stage stations) had horses, plus housed the riders between their trips. They may have simply been someone’s house who was willing to barter or sell water, food and/or goods to travelers.)Īt each relay ( swing) station, riders would exchange their tired horse for a fresh one. (FYI: “Ranches”, or Road Ranches, in Pony Express days, were watering spots/little supply stores/emigrant trail hostels/stopover places or the like, not like the big-acreage cattle/horse holdings, as we know today. Building materials generally consisted of sod on the plains, timber in the forested areas, stone or adobe on the deserts or dugouts carved in a hillside and roofed with freighted-in timber. New stations were then added where needed. Ranches in the area were used, if the location fit. Stations that already existed for the stagecoach line were also used for “The Pony”. The terrain and its effect on horse travel determined the number and the distance between stations. Pony stations were generally located between 5 to 20 miles apart.
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