Pony Express Station

On the way back to WY, Vin and I stopped at a Pony Express Station in Gothenbug, NE.  It was really neat to see and read about.  You can go inside and it has the station's history.  The gentleman who worked there told me information about the Pony Express.  The youngest rider was 11 years old!  They preferred young and skinny and orphans.  They rode from Missouri to California in 10 days or less!  Can you believe that?  

Here is the saddle bag they used.  It fit over the entire saddle and can be lifted off and put onto another horse that was saddled, waiting and ready to go.  The riders had 2 minutes to change horses at each stop.  They were paid on how fast they made it to each post.  You can see the mail pouches and they were padlocked shut.  This was a very dangerous job.  Many of the young men who rode the Pony Express were killed.  They were even shot at while delivering mail!