Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Pony Express rides again

Who would have thought it was 150 years ago that the Pony Express started?

On April 3, 1860, the Pony Express began its historic run between Missouri and California with riders delivering mail on routes through Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Utah and Nevada.

As part of the festivities celebrating this year’s 150th Pony Express anniversary, 13 Wyoming towns will celebrate and help re-create the ride along or near the original route of the Pony Express June 15-17, 2010.

These 13 Post Offices will each be offering a special Pony Express 150th anniversary pictorial postmark or cancellation to honor the occasion.
  • June 15th: Fort Bridger, WY 82933;
  • June 16th: Riverton, WY 82501; Pavillion, WY 82523; Mills, WY 82644;
  • June 17th: Glendo, WY 82213; Wheatland, WY 82201; Guernsey, WY 82214; Manville, WY 82227; Glenrock, WY 82637; Van Tassell, WY 82242; Lance Creek, WY 82222; Lingle, WY 82223; Fort Laramie, WY 82212

Customers can obtain the 150th anniversary postmark by mail order beginning on that date and for the following 30 days by following the instructions below.

To order the FREE 150th Pony Express anniversary postmark by mail, include pre-addressed, stamped postcard(s) and envelope(s) in a larger stamped envelope and mail to each one of the 13 Wyoming Pony Express Post Offices in which you are requesting the postmark, and mail your request to:

Pony Express 150th anniversary postmark
Postmaster
(name of town, WY and ZIP Code)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Pony Express was actually run by the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company, in hopes of landing a future one million dollar mail carrying contract. Many people do not realize this was not the US Post Office, but rather operated like a mail hauling contract. With the national completion of the telegraph and the outbreak of the civil war, the Pony Express was short lived.

Anonymous said...

The Pony Express was actually run by the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company, in hopes of landing a future one million dollar mail carrying contract. Many people do not realize this was not the US Post Office, but rather operated like a mail hauling contract. With the national completion of the telegraph and the outbreak of the civil war, the Pony Express was short lived.