A vivid 1961 pictorial commemoration of the Pony Express centennial.
Pony Express Route April 3, 1860 – October 24, 1861
$350
In stock
Description
This vivid pictorial map depicts the Pony Express Route from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California. The map identifies the many stops along the route where riders would rest and refuel and is illustrated with small vignettes including Old Fort Laramie, Sweetwater Station, the Valley of the Great Salt Lake and the Relay Station near Utah Desert.
The Pony Express was a mail service delivering messages, newspapers, and mail.
Officially operating as the Leavenworth and Pike’s Peak Express Company of 1859, in 1860 it became the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company; this firm was founded by William H. Russell, Alexander Majors, and William B. Waddell, all of whom were notable in the freighting business.
During its 19 months of operation, it reduced the time for messages to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to about 10 days. From April 3, 1860 to October 1861, it became the West’s most direct means of east–west communication before the telegraph was established and was vital for tying the new state of California with the rest of the United States.
Cartographer(s):
William Henry Jackson (1843-1942) was an American photographer, Civil War veteran, painter, and explorer who has become particularly famous for his early photographs of the American West. Following his participation as a Union soldier in the Civil War, Jackson won a commission from the Union Pacific Railroad to document the extraordinary scenery along the various routes for promotional purposes. This project led him to explore the West and initiated a life-long fascination with this frontier region of America.
Jackson’s photographs of the Union Railroad landscapes were of incredible quality and soon attracted the attention of other Western pioneers. Consequently, Ferdinand Vanderveer Hayden him to join his team of geologists on their expedition to the Yellowstone River. In addition to being one of America’s most important early photographers, Jackson was also the great-nephew of Sam Wilson, progenitor of the United States’ national symbol, Uncle Sam.
Condition Description
Remnants of a sticker at the upper right corner, otherwise a clean map with lovely illustrations.
References
https://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibits/current/pony-express/index.html
