The Pony Express

Children's Literature

The discovery of gold in California quickly led to westward expansion and as a result, the need for prompt and reliable mail delivery increased. News from the East took three to four weeks or longer for delivery. Competition and free enterprise surrounded the development of the Pony Express. The Leavenworth & Pike's Peak Express Company created a route that promised mail delivery in ten days. Young riders frequently encountered Indian ambushes, hunger, and the risk of disease in their heroic efforts to keep the ten-day promise. Although financial problems contributed to hardships at the Pony Express, the telegraph played a greater role in the company's demise. The story of the Pony Express is captivating and intriguing. The book concludes with a glossary, timeline, index, and list of further readings and Internet sites. Numerous photographs and their accompanying excerpts make this book a quick and enjoyable read. It will surely supplement any school's curriculum on western development. It is part of "The American West" series. 2003, Mason Crest Publishers,
— Denise Daley