Pony Express Station & Museum

About

Do you know the story of the Pony Express? Stop by the FREE Museum & Gift Shop to learn more about this piece of history!

Story

The Sam Macchette Station was erected in 1854 on the Oregon Trail and was used as a Fur Trading Post & Ranch House. From 1860-1861 the station was used as a Pony Express Station. After the Pony Express ended, the station was used as an Overland Trail Stage Station, bunk house, storage house, and dwelling until 1931. In 1931 Mrs. C.A. Williams donated the station to the city of Gothenburg. The city had it moved from its original site to Ehmen Park inside Gothenburg city limits. The station was dedicated to "All Pioneers Who Passed This Way, To Win and Hold the West."
The first Pony Express Ride was on April 3rd, 1860, it began in St. Joseph, Missouri and ended in Sacramento, CA. This first trip took nine days and 23 hours, this was less than half the time of the fastest stages!
President Lincoln's Inaugural Speech marks the record run. The speech was carried for 1,996 miles and took 7 days and 17 hours to reach it's destination.
Only one man was killed and scalped by the Indians. Many man were killed by Indians, however, at the stations. Bannock, Piute & Shoshone would burn the stations and destroy property, frequently.
Due to the completion of the Overland Telegraph, the Pony Express was discontinued after 16 months. The founders, Russell, Majors & Waddell lost $100,000 in the operation of the Pony Express.