This list of stations is from the National Pony Express Association 

MISSOURI STATIONS:

The Patee House was the Eastern Headquarters of the Pony Express and housed the Riders. The horses were stalled at the Pikes Peak Stables.

The Pony and Rider actually went inside the Patee House post office to collect the mochila filled with mail, before setting off to the west.

  1. Pikes Peak Stables, St. Joseph
  2. (H) Patee House, St.Joseph – Eastern Headquarters
  3. Missouri River Ferry (Missouri River Transport)

KANSAS STATIONS:

Pony Riders in Kansas would stable their horse on the west side of the Missouri River if the ferry wasn’t available, and personally transport the mochila across by boat.

  1. Elwood / Wathena (1861—Atchison)
  2. Cottonwood Springs / Thompson’s Ranch (used in early months, then replaced by Troy)
  3. Troy / Smith’s Hotel (1861—Lancaster)
  4. Lewis / Cold Spring Rock / Cold Springs / Valley Home / Chain Pump / Syracuse
  5. Kinnekuk / Kennekuk / Kenneykirk
  6. Goteschall / Kickapoo / Whitehall / Plum Creek
  7. Granada
  8. Log Chain / Lockman’s / Muddy Creek / Lochlane / Locknane
  9. (H) Seneca
  10. Ash Point / Hickory Point / Laramie Creek / Fogtown
  11. Gautard’s / Guittard / Gutard / Vermillion Creek
  12. (H) Marysville / Big Blue / Palmetto City
  13. Cottonwood / Hollenburg

NEBRASKA STATIONS

Much of the Pony Express Trail through Nebraska used the natural road created by the Platte River Valley, just like the schooners of the Oregon Trail.

  1. Rock House / Rockhouse / Caldwell / Otoe
  2. Rock Creek & Lodi P.O. / Turkey Creek / Pawnee / Elkhorn
  3. Virginia City / Graysons / Whiskey Run / Lone Tree
  4. (H) Big Sandy / Patterson’s / Daniel Ranch / Ed Farrell Ranch
  5. Millersville / Thompson’s
  6. Kiowa
  7. Oak Grove / Comstock’s / Little Blue
  8. (H) Liberty Farm
  9. Spring Ranch / Pawnee Ranch / Lone Tree
  10. (H) Thirty-Two Mile Creek / Thirty-Two Mile / Dinner / Elm Creek
  11. Sand Hill / Summit / Fairfield / Water Hole / Gills
  12. (H) Kearney / Kearny / Valley City / Omaha Junction / Dogtown / Junction City / Hinshaw’s Ranch / Hooks
  13. Dobytown (the station was 2 miles west of Fort Kearny)
  14. Fort Kearney / Fort Kearny (the actual XP station was not inside the garrison)
  15. Platt’s / Platte / Seventeen Mile
  16. Garden / Shakespear / Craig’s / Sydenham’s / Biddleman Ranch
  17. Plum Creek
  18. Willow Island / Willow Bend / Willow Springs / Spread Eagle (the actual station is now located in the Cozad city park)
  19. (H) Midway / Heavy Timber / Coldwater Ranch / Pat Mullaly’s Ranch / Lower 96 Ranch / Smith’s East Ranch (still standing at its original site south of Gothenburg)
  20. Gilman’s
  21. Machette’s / Upper 96 Ranch / Dan Trout’s / Joe Bower’s / Broken Ranch (the actual station is now located in the Gothenburg city park)
  22. Cottonwood Springs / McDonald’s Ranch (near Fort Cottonwood / Fort McPherson)
  23. Cold Springs / Box Elder
  24. (H) Fremont Springs / Buffalo Ranch
  25. Danseys / Dorsey’s / Half Way House / O’Fallon’s Bluff / Elkhorn
  26. Alkali Lake / Pike’s Peak
  27. Gill’s / Sand Hill
  28. (H) Diamond Springs
    • (FYI: Beauvais Ranch / Lower California Crossing / Brule Crossing / Ash Hollow Crossing / Fort Laramie Crossing / California Crossing — This stage station is only 2 miles west of Diamond Springs. It was important for those traveling on the Oregon Trail, but probably was not a Pony Express Station, as it was so close to Diamond Springs. It was here that settlers crossed the South Platte River and headed north, over California Hill and through Ash Hollow, up to the North Platte River Valley. The Pony Express Route continued along the South Platte, on to Julesburg.)
  • From Diamond Springs Station, the Pony traveled into  Colorado and then back into the Nebraska Panhandle..
  1. Nine Mile / Lodge Pole
  2. Pole Creek No. 2 / Farrell Ranch
  3. Pole Creek No. 3 / Rouliette Ranch / Pringle Ranch
  4. Midway / Government Well / 32 Mile Ridge / 30 Mile Ridge
  5. (H) Mud Springs
  6. Court House / Courthouse Rock / Pumpkinseed Creek / Pumpkin Creek (this cabin was moved to Pioneer Village at Minden in 1955)
  7. Chimney Rock / Facus Springs
  8. Ficklin’s Springs / Robidoux’s Fort / Ficklin’s / Ash Hollow
  9. (H) Scott’s Bluff / Fort Mitchell
  10. Horse Creek

COLORADO STATIONS:

Julesburg was a wild and storied town. The saga of Pony Express Division 2 Superintendent Jack Slade and Julesburg’s namesake Jules Beni was one of raw western “justice”.

  1. Frontz / Frontz’s / South Platte / Butte
  2. (H) Julesburg (original Old Julesburg) / Overland City

WYOMING STATIONS:

The Pony Express Trail sent riders up and over the Continental Divide and through the South Pass.

  1. Cold Springs / Spring Ranch / Junction House / Torrington / Spring
  2. Verdling’s Ranch / Bordeaux’s Ranch / Laramie City / Beauvais Ranch / Badeau’s
  3. Fort Laramie (the XP Station was located a short distance west of the garrison)
  4. Nine Mile House / Nine Mile / Sand Point / Ward / Central Star (at Register Cliff)
  5. Cottonwood / Cottonwood Creek / Bitter Cottonwood
  6. (H) Horse Shoe / Horseshoe / Horseshoe Creek
  7. Elk Horn / Elkhorn
  8. La Bonta / La Bonte
  9. Bed Tick / Clute’s Ranch / Fetterman / Douglas / Orin
  10. Lapierelle / La Prele / La Prelle
  11. Box Elder
  12. (H) Deer Creek
  13. Little Muddy / Glen Rock
  14. Bridger / Platte
  15. North Platte / Platte Bridge / Casper
  16. Red Butte / Red Buttes
  17. (H) Willow Springs / Willow Spring
  18. Horse Creek / Greasewood Creek
  19. Sweet Water / Sweetwater Bridge / Independence Rock
  20. Plant’s Ranch / Plante’s / Plounte’s (near Devil’s Gate)
  21. Split Rock
  22. (H) Three Crossings
  23. Ice Springs / Ice Slough
  24. Warm Springs
  25. (H) Rocky Ridge / Mary’s / Rocky Bridge / Foot of the Ridge
  26. Rock Creek / Strawberry
  27. Upper Sweet Water / Upper Sweetwater / South Pass / Gilbert’s / Burnt Ranch

****Up over the Continental Divide, across the broad saddle of the South Pass ****

  1. Pacific Springs
  2. Dry Sandy
  3. Little Sandy
  4. Big Sandy
  5. Big Timber / Big Bend / Simpson Hollow
  6. (H) Green River / Green River Crossing
  7. Michael Martin’s
  8. Ham’s Fork
  9. Rock Ridge
  10. Church Butte / Church Buttes
  11. (H) Millersville
  12. Fort Bridger / Camp Scott
  13. Muddy / Muddy Creek / Little Muddy
  14. Quaking Aspen / Quaking Asp / Spring
  15. Hanging Rock
  16. Bear River / Briggs

UTAH STATIONS:

For GPS coordinates of Utah Stations, refer to “ The Pony Express Stations in Utah”, a book by NPEA members Patrick Hearty and Dr. Joseph Hatch

  1. Needle Rock / The Needles
  2. (H) Head of Echo Canyon / Echo Canyon / Echo / Castle Rock / Frenchies
  3. Half Way / Halfway / Emory / Daniels (FYI: Mr. Daniels, the station keeper, maybe was the source of the story (maybe true?) of the XP brand on the horses. Local thieves kept stealing his station horses and then selling them back to the Pony Express! So, he decided to brand them “XP” so that they could be identified.)
  4. Weber / Bromley’s / Pulpit Rock / Hanging Rock / Echo
  5. Brimville Emergency Station / Henneforville / Henefer
  6. East Canon / East Canyon / Dixie Hollow / Dixie Creek / Big Mountain / Snyder’s Mill / Carson House / Dutchman’s Flat
  7. Wheaton Springs / Winston Springs / Bauchmann’s
  8. Mountain Dale / Mountain Dell / Hanks / Big Canyon Creek
  9. (H) Salt Lake / Salt Lake House
  10. Trader’s Rest / Traveler’s Rest
  11. Rockwell / Rockwell’s
  12. Dug Out / Dugout / Joe’s Dugout / Seven Mile / Joe Butcher’s
  13. Camp Floyd – John Carson’s Inn / Fort Crittenden / Fairfield / Cedar City
  14. East Rush Valley / Pass / East Faust / Five Mile
  15. (H) Bush Valley / Rush Valley / Meadow Creek / Faust / Meady Creek
  16. Point Lookout / Lookout Pass / Jackson’s / General Johnson’s
  17. Government Creek / Government Road Junction / Davis
  18. (H) Simpson’s Springs / Simpson Springs / Egans Springs / Lost Springs / Pleasant Springs
  19. Riverbed / River Bed / Red Bed
  20. Dugway / Shortcut Pass
  21. Blackrock / Black Rock / Blackrock Springs / Rock House
  22. (H) Fish Springs / Fish Creek / Fresh Springs / Smith Springs
  23. Boyd’s / Butte / Desert
  24. Willow Springs (original XP Station is still standing)
  25. Six Mile House / Mountain Springs / Willow Creek
  26. Canyon / Burnt / Overland / Round / Round Fort
  27. (H) Deep Creek / Deep Springs / Ibapah / Egans

NEVADA STATIONS:

About 80% of the Pony Express Trail in what is now Nevada is on national resource lands—available to the public. These Pony Express miles were unforgiving and difficult for riders and station keepers, alike. Desert and Indians.

  1. Eight Mile House / Prairie Gate / Pleasant Valley
  2. Antelope Springs
  3. Rock Spring (summer)
  4. Spring Valley / Stone House (winter)
  5. (H) Shell Creek / Schell Creek / Fort Schellbourne
  6. Egan Canon / Egan Canyon / Egan / Egan’s
  7. Bates’ / Butte / Butte Creek / Robber’s Roost
  8. Mountain Springs
  9. Ruby Valley (the actual station is now located in the Elko Museum)
  10. Jacob’s Wells / Jacob’s Well
  11. Diamond Springs
  12. Sulphur Springs
  13. (H) Robert’s Creek
  14. Camp Station / Grubb’s Well (used from about June 1861 to the Pony’s end)
  15. (H) Dry Creek
  16. Cape Horn
  17. Simpson’s Park / Simpson Park
  18. Reese / Reese River / Jacobsville / Jacob’s Spring
  19. Dry Wells / Mount Airy (this station was used during the later months only)
  20. (H) Smith’s Creek
  21. Castle Rock (this station’s existence is questioned)
  22. Edward’s Creek
  23. (H) Cold Springs / Telegraph / Eastgate
  24. Middle Gate / Middlegate / Middle Creek (During the last 7 months of the Pony, the route followed a more direct, “northern” route from Middlegate to Miller’s stations 34-41; the earlier-used, “southern” route included stations 25-33.)
  25. West Gate / Westgate
  26. Sand Springs / Mountain Well
  27. Sand Hill
  28. Carson Sink / Sink of Carson
  29. Honey Lake / William’s / Smith’s
  30. Desert / Hooten Wells
  31. (H) Buckland’s (used at first, until Indian Wars started) 
  32. (H) Fort Churchill (used after Indian Wars started)
  33. Clugage’s (mention of this station was only found on the government contract)
  34. Fairview
  35. Mountain Wells / Mountain Well
  36. Stillwater / Salt Well
  37. Old River
  38. Bisby’s / Busby’s
  39. Nevada
  40. Ragtown
  41. Desert Wells / Desert Well
  42. Miller’s / Reed’s
  43. Nevada / Nevada City / Dayton / Chinatown / Spafford’s Hall
  44. (H) Carson City / Carson
  45. Genoa / Old Mormon
  46. Van Sickle’s
  47. (H) Friday’s / Lakeside

CALIFORNIA STATIONS:

California’s gold was very important to the Union, so communication with the state was critical to keep it from seceding, along with the southern states. The Pony Express helped to keep California in the Union by delivering President Lincoln’s March 4, 1861 inaugural address in 7 days, 17 hours.

  1. Woodford’s (used only during April 1860)
  2. Fountain Place
  3. Yank’s / Myers / Meyers
  4. Hope Valley / Sorenson’s
  5. Phillips
  6. Strawberry / Strawberry Valley House (FYI: It is reported that Mr. Berry, the station operator, fed the stock straw—but charged for hay!—or, maybe there were, indeed strawberries to be found growing in the area.)
  7. Split Rock
  8. Webster’s / Sugarloaf House / Silverfork
  9. Moss / Moore’s / Riverton / Mess
  10. Pacific House
  11. (H) Sportsman’s Hall / Twelve Mile
  12. Placerville / Hangtown / Old Dry Diggins / Ravine City (FYI: During the first several months, a “southern” route, using stations 13-15, was followed to Five Mile House; later, a “northern” route that used stations 16-18 was used.) On July 1, 1861, Placerville became the Western Terminus.
  13. El Dorado / Mud Springs / Nevada House
  14. Mormon / Mormon Tavern / Sunrise House
  15. Fifteen Mile House
  16. Diamond Springs
  17. Durco / Duroc House / Pleasant Grove / Pleasant Grove House / Shingle Springs
  18. Folsom (On July 1, 1860, Folsom became the Western Terminus)
  19. Five Mile / Five Mile House / Mills
  20. (H) Old Sacramento: B.F. Hastings Building – “Western Terminus”
  21. Water Route: Sacramento to San Francisco via the American River on a steamboat or, if they missed the boat, overland from Sacramento:
    1. Benicia / Benica
    2. Martinez
    3. Oakland
    4. San Francisco – Western Headquarters



 



 

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