The Pony Express - 80th Anniversary

The Pony Express was established on April 30, 1860 as a faster, improved mail delivery service than the Overland Express, an operation using stagecoaches.Using 120 riders, 184 stations and 400 horses, messages were able to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts in about ten days.
A rider would travel 75-80 miles per day changing horses every 10 miles or so. The 1,900 mile route between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California only lasted 18 months before it was replaced by the telegraph. Despite common perception, the Pony Express was a private business and not a part of the U.S. Post Office system. This stamp was issued On April 3, 1940 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Pony Express.