This is the story of pony bob haslam, the brave young man who made the longest and most daring ride in the history of the pony express. Visschers book a thrilling and truthful history of the pony express was. The pony express used horseandrider relay teams to speed letters. The pony express also helped deliver international news. The young men who were pony express riders were selected for bravery and weight. I list the top 5 things i learned about the pony express while listening to this book. The pony express provided a valuable service and became a major part in the history of the american west. Plans for the pony express were spurred by the threat of the civil war and the need for faster communication with the west. Riding the pony express by clyde robert bulla, 1948, t.
Johnny fry was born in bourbon county, kentucky to john fry and mary fry in 1840. New pony express book looks at legendary ride local news. The pony express route that the riders used went through the territories of utah, nebraska and kansas sharing relay stations with the butterfield overland mail company stagecoach line. In a novel, the story is internal, between you and the reader, and is limited only by your imaginations. Q gets out of the studio to go where history happened, on the spot in gothenburg, nebraska. The story of the pony express national postal museum.
Leaving red buttes on the north platte river near presentday casper, wyo. Starting with the foundation of the pony express in the controversy around slavery and the missouri compromise and the role the express played in keeping california in the union as a free state. Buffalo bill cody was just 14 years old, so the story goes, when he made his worldfamous ride for the pony express. His route took him along what we now call the oregoncaliforniamormon trail. The surprisingly short history of the pony express youtube.
We are reading the little house series, and many of the elements of prairie life are already familiar to him. The overland mail company eventually did take over the western portion of the pony express route that went to sacramento. Here comes the pony reride 2019 reride schedule members mount their horses and reride history. We were able to read it in one sitting, too, which is. Headlines that traveled over the ocean by ship could reach the opposite coast in just 18 days. The pony express was in business for only 18 months, from april 1860october 1861. How three friends keep the mail moving is just part of this fastmoving tale about the great experiment in transcontinental communication. As rider william campbell said, riding express had more hard work than fun in it. In operation for only 18 months between april 1860 and october 1861, the pony express nevertheless has become synonymous with the old west. Lesson summary the pony express was a company that carried mail across difficult terrain on horseback from. The story of the pony express is an amazingbuttrue american adventure story. I have just read riding the pony express to my almost 3 year old son.
A wonderful way to learn facts about history through a story telling medium that engages the reader and helps them remember those facts long after the book has been put back on the shelf. Russell had an idea that would allow pony and horse riders to ride across the country in order to deliver mail more quickly. Although only in operation for about 18 months, the pony express is the most famous mailing system in american history. The history and legacy of americas most famous mail service charles river. Follow the pony express reride and the mail as they travel 1,966 miles from st. New book reexamines fabled chapter of american history. Joseph, missouri, to sacramento, california the pony express could deliver a letter faster than ever before. Dick park is the son of a pony express rider, katy kelly is the daughter of a way station master, and little bear is an indian boy who lives nearby. Visschers book a thrilling and truthful history of the pony express was published in 1908, nearly half a century after the pony express went out of business.
Toward the bottom is a list of all pony express stations as of march 1861 and links to each station, with notes, organized by state. Johnny fry 18401863 johnny fry was the first official westbound rider of the pony express and union soldier killed during the civil war. Despite the images of pony express riders shooting native americans and having adventures popularized by buffalo bills wild west show and dime novels, the life of a pony express employee was far from glamorous. The book tells the true story of each of the first pony express riders and the. Written about 100 years ago, this history of the pony express is a fun and interesting read. Study about the pony express beginnings, famous people, and why the pony express ended in this free pony express lapbook how to fold a lapbook. Or, blazing the westward way and other sketches and incidents of those stirring times. The pony express free american history lesson plans. Pony express debuts on april 3, 1860, the first pony express mail, traveling by horse and rider relay teams, simultaneously leaves st.
Anyone wondering how the story of the pony express became muddled need only consider that it took half a century to write a book about the subject, and its author was a dubious chronicler. The pony express operated for only a short while in the history of the u. Riding the pony express dick park is the son of a pony express rider, katy kelly is the daughter of a way station master, and little bear is an indian boy who lives nearby. On april 3, 1860, a new crosscountry mail carrier called the pony express began operation. The national pony express association is dedicated to the preservation of the pony express national historic trail, its sites and its history the national pony express association npea is an allvolunteer, historical organization with the purpose of identifying, reestablishing and marking the original pony express trail from st. Simple chapters explore why the pony express was needed, the riders on the pony express, and the end of the pony express due to the telegraph system. It was important for the riders to be light so the ponies could carry both a rider and heavy bags of mail, at a gallop, for many miles. Thanks to pony express history the pony express reride runs every year, all the way from st. The history and legacy of americas most famous mail service.
Grace paull dick travels from new york to meet his father, a rider for the pony express. History westward expansion the pony express was a mail delivery service that ran between missouri and california. By contrast, only a handful of riderssix, according to the national park servicedied in the line of duty during the entire history of the pony express. Find pony express founded lesson plans and worksheets. The national geographic history chapters series features archival photos with explanatory captions as well as short. There is the perfect combination of horses and intrigue, and it also connected him to u. Fourth graders reasearch the history of the pony express on the internet or they can use books from the. Explains the route of the pony express and accounts from pony express riders. Although a financially disastrous brief enterprise, the pony express and. The pony express consisted of relays of men riding horses carrying saddlebags of mail across a 2000mile trail.
The pony riders travel day and night to make the 10 day trip. The pony express was a long, tortuous gauntlet for the brave riders who dared to deliver. Alexander majors, william russell, and william waddel are the three men behind the pony express. A fellow rider, broncobroncho charlie miller18501955, who began riding as a volunteer fillin at 11yearsold, himself, wrote about his friend billy in his history of the pony express. Billy traveled with his mother and father as a part of the bakerfancher wagon train originating in carroll county arkansas. Life as a rider on the pony express heather on history. Completing his deep dive into the history of the pony express, the accounts by trail riders and the failed numbers that doomed it after 18 months. It details why and how it was founded, how it operated, who worked for it, why it was discontinued, and why it is legend. Deathdefying riders of the pony express true west magazine.
The first comprehensive history of the legendary transcontinental experiment in mail delivery in sixty years. The history and legacy of americas most famous mail service, by charles river editors, the audio version. Stories of the express and the riders are a fun read. Pony express riding school at hoofhaven farms 4777 south mission road fallbrook, ca 92028.
Teri cagle has been working with horses for over 40 years. The pony express is one of the most colorful episodes in american history, one which can be used to measure not only the growth of the nation, but the pioneering spirit of our predecessors. Riders of the pony express by ralph moody goodreads. Patrick hearty, past president of the national pony express association npea, wrote the foreword of a long trail rolling for me. Below are action packed, engaging kids books on the pony express history, its riders, and its legacy. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Joseph, missouri, via kansas, nebraska, colorado, wyoming. Pony express bible owned by the society of california pioneers. Plus i thought there would be more information on the pony express but most of the story is of dick, the kellys and little bear at the owl creek way station. Life and death of the pony express in the west world history. Ironically, buffalo bill never was a rider for the pony express. The pony express by samuel hopkins adams goodreads. A great early chapter book about a fictional boy and the pony express.
The name pony express evokes images of courageous young men crossing long stretches of country, frequently under harsh conditions, facing the constant. Read of the risks riders ran, from snakebites to bandits, and discover the historic changes that made this famous trail obsolete. The idea that pony express riders wore buckskins can be traced to the popularity of frederic remingtons 1901 oil, the coming and going of the pony express. The us postal service has a section of its website dedicated to brief histories of mail delivery in the us. A thrilling and truthful history of the pony express. The pony express only lasted 18 months, but the mail delivery service remains one of the most enduring icons of the american west its story told in. Joe and he continues to owl creek, one of the way stations where riders change horses.
The rider jumps from one mount to the other and the pony express goes racing. The pony express was a mail service delivering messages, newspapers, and mail using relays of horsemounted riders that operated from april 3, 1860 to october 24, 1861 between missouri and california in the united states of america operated by central overland california and pikes peak express company, the pony express was a great financial investment to the u. He and his wife, linda, hosted my son elliot and i a few years ago, and. The first pony express rider left california, headed towards missouri, in april, 1860. Introduce early elementary students to the history of the mail system with riding with mail. Pony express history in the best childrens books k8. The book is set a day or two after abraham lincolns election and the pony. Johnny fry first rider of the pony express legends of. Evidently, something happened to frys father, as, when he was 16 he moved with his mother and her new husband, benjamin wells to rushville, missouri around 1857. While its unlikely he was a pony express rider, we do know that.
Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids. The story of the pony express is a bit like the story of paul reveres ride an actual. Using the pony express, mail could arrive in california in as few as 9 days rather than the weeks it took to arrive when sent by horse carriage. Bradleys book, the story of the pony express, published by the a.
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