Before what we call the "snail mail", there was another way our mail was delivered. Even though it existed only a very very short amount of time, it's remembered in movies and as an important piece to America's puzzle. Though the Pony Express was only established for 18 months, the legend that follows it will always remain on our minds.
The criteria to be a Pony Express rider was that you had to weigh under 125lbs which explains why many of the riders were young boys of 14-15. One extrordinary boy was William "Buffalo Bill" Cody who would later go on to form his "Wild West Show". These boys were taught to be tough and withstand attacks and extreme weather changes. The riders were only supposed to ride 75 miles per day but many went for much much more. Another famous rider, "Pony Bob" Haslam had to ride a record 380 miles in 36 hours.
If our mail, even "snail mail", took as long as it took for the Pony Express to deliver it, I doubt I'd survive. Unfortunately, the age of the Pony Express came to an end due to financial troubles. Other, quicker ways were coming to communicate which led to the Pony Express's demise. For all their hard work, they may have paved the beginning to a "speedy" mail delivery system.
The Pony Express seems comical compared to modern networks of communication. But at the time it was a much needed service for people beyond the rocky mountains. It provided newspapers and letters from east to west in as little as seven days. The alternative methods were stage coaches and steamships which averaged about 22 days. The Pony Express was not a government mail service and the owners of the pony express company were trying to get a million dollar government contract. The Pony Express provided important communication during the civil war. Faster communication between California and Washington DC, was essential in preserving the Union. from christine
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