The prospect of California and its national role became the source of bitter partisan debate in Congress. By 1860, the population had grown to 380,000. By 1850, California entered the Union as a free state. After gold was discovered there in 1848, thousands of prospectors, investors, and businessmen made their way to California, at that time a new territory of the U.S. The idea of having a fast mail route to the Pacific Coast was prompted largely by California's newfound prominence and its rapidly growing population. Its reliance on the ability and endurance of hardy riders and fast horses was seen as evidence of rugged American individualism of the frontier times. When replaced by the telegraph, the Pony Express quickly became romanticized and became part of the lore of the American West. Nevertheless, it demonstrated that a unified transcontinental system of communications could be established and operated year-round. state of California with the rest of the United States.ĭespite a heavy subsidy, the Pony Express was not a financial success and went bankrupt in 18 months, when a faster telegraph service was established.

It became the west's most direct means of east–west communication before the first transcontinental telegraph was established (October 24, 1861), and was vital for tying the new U.S.

It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company.ĭuring its 18 months of operation, the Pony Express reduced the time for messages to travel between the east and west US coast to about 10 days.

It operated from April 3, 1860, to October 26, 1861, between Missouri and California. The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders.

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