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Here are some neat facts about the Pony Express, one of the most fascinating and important institutions in early American history.

As important as the Internet might be to modern citizens around the world, so the Pony Express and its brave riders were critical to communication for early American settlers.

• The Pony Express was in service from April 3, 1860 to October 24, 1861.
• The youngest Pony Express rider on record was 11 years old. His name was Charlie Miller but everyone called him Broncho Charlie.
• Remembering that the territories west of Missouri were not all states yet, the Pony Express riders crossed what are the present day states of Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada to reach California.
• Mail that arrived in Sacramento was transported to San Francisco overnight by boat.
• There were approximately 165 Pony Express stations.
• Lincoln’s Inaugural Address, March 4, 1861, reached Sacramento in only 7 days and 17 hours! It was telegraphed from Washington D.C. to Kearney, Nebraska, then taken by Pony Express to Folsom, California, and from there it was telegraphed to Sacramento and finally published.