SACRAMENTO, CALIF - Sacramento will celebrate its Pony Express heritage with a number of events commencing with the June 7th departure of the Pony Express Rider for St. Joseph, Missouri and culminating with Gold Rush Days from September 3-6, 2010. ABCnews.com recently selected Gold Rush Days as one of the "World's 10 Most Amazing Events" from "Frommer's 300 Unmissable Events and Festivals around the World." The Visitors Center in Old Sacramento features an exhibit with historic Pony Express memorabilia.
Sacramento was the western terminus of the Pony Express. The first Pony Express Rider left St. Joseph in Missouri on April 3, 1860 and arrived in Sacramento on April 13, 1860, greeted by a jubilant crowd. The 1,966-mile journey required 200 relay stations, 500 horses and 80 riders. The first mail delivery pouch held 80 letters for Sacramento and San Francisco, sent at a rate of $5 a half-ounce.
The Pony Express is such a colorful part of the West's history that few people realize how short its run was. This mail service was replaced after only 18 months by the telegraph and then the railroad.
For Sacramento information, visit www.discovergold.org or call 916-808-7777.
