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U.S. Landmark Books #7
The Pony Express
An account of the short-lived Pony Express that once was a vital link across the United States.
233 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1950
1 person is currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Samuel Hopkins Adams
148 books7 followersFrom the book jacket of "Sunrise to Sunset", (c) 1950
At seventy-nine Samuel Hopkins Adams attributes his longevity, vigor and vim to neither smoking nor drinking, except when he feels like it. This is typical of the intelligent attitude toward the vagaries of life that has maintained him through the years in which he has authored more than forty books, written countless magazine articles and, as a crusading reporter, almost single-handedly accounted for the passage of the Federal Food and Drug laws which pave protected millions of his fellow citizens.
Mr. Adams' amazing knowledge of the history of upper New York State is the result of his lifelong interest in the region in which he was born. His home is Wide Waters, on the shore of Owasco, "loveliest of the Finger Lakes." From Wide Waters he still makes forways into the surrounding countryside, attending antique-auction sales "for the purpose of sneering at the prevalent junk," which he says he wouldn't put in his open hearth Franklin stove for fear of insulting it.
A graduate of Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, class of 1891, Mr. Adams introduced football to the campus, played tackle on its first team, and won the Intercollegiate Tennis Championship. For these contributions to scholarship, his college conferred on him the degree of L.H.D. in 1926.
Adams also wrote under the pseudonym Warner Fabian.
At seventy-nine Samuel Hopkins Adams attributes his longevity, vigor and vim to neither smoking nor drinking, except when he feels like it. This is typical of the intelligent attitude toward the vagaries of life that has maintained him through the years in which he has authored more than forty books, written countless magazine articles and, as a crusading reporter, almost single-handedly accounted for the passage of the Federal Food and Drug laws which pave protected millions of his fellow citizens.
Mr. Adams' amazing knowledge of the history of upper New York State is the result of his lifelong interest in the region in which he was born. His home is Wide Waters, on the shore of Owasco, "loveliest of the Finger Lakes." From Wide Waters he still makes forways into the surrounding countryside, attending antique-auction sales "for the purpose of sneering at the prevalent junk," which he says he wouldn't put in his open hearth Franklin stove for fear of insulting it.
A graduate of Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, class of 1891, Mr. Adams introduced football to the campus, played tackle on its first team, and won the Intercollegiate Tennis Championship. For these contributions to scholarship, his college conferred on him the degree of L.H.D. in 1926.
Adams also wrote under the pseudonym Warner Fabian.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 1, 2020
Loved the whole book! I am no expert on the Pony Express, but everything seemed accurate. And I love how the author included a personal story of meeting a Pony Express rider.
There was some violence and mentions of killing, but nothing too extreme. I would recommend it to 12+
There was some violence and mentions of killing, but nothing too extreme. I would recommend it to 12+
January 27, 2024
A wonderful read; would make a great read-aloud for the sake of American history study with children. This book makes the Pony Express come alive and the author even had an interaction with one of the riders in the early 1900’s.
May 1, 2018
I read a bunch of the Landmark series books as a kid. Our school library had a huge collection of them, so I just made my way down the shelves. I remember enjoying them, but I was too young at the time to question the narrative slant. I just liked reading biographies and histories, and there wasn't a lot of interesting non-fiction for kids at that time. Most of what did exist was either boring or more myth than fact. These books did not talk down to the reader, which I appreciated.
Each Landmark Book was written by a different author, each highly respected and invited to contribute to the series. There is a wonderful article on the Landmark Books series on the American Historical Association website: https://www.historians.org/publicatio...
I'm rating them on the memory of enjoyment alone, not on accuracy or how they would go over today. Fortunately, kids today have a lot better from which to choose.
Each Landmark Book was written by a different author, each highly respected and invited to contribute to the series. There is a wonderful article on the Landmark Books series on the American Historical Association website: https://www.historians.org/publicatio...
I'm rating them on the memory of enjoyment alone, not on accuracy or how they would go over today. Fortunately, kids today have a lot better from which to choose.
April 19, 2023
Another capable installment in the Landmark series, one sure to incite the imaginations of youngsters fond of adventure stories. Less a history than a tale of the short-lived Pony Express, this edition was thin on facts but was still a worthwhile read, as it makes the account of Westward expansion all the more complete. It's also a good reminder of the precursors of the trappings of daily life we take for granted, like mail delivery, and the almost unfathomable effort it took to get a letter from coast to coast in the mid-nineteenth century.
It was something of an experiment, a stop-gap measure to keep lines of communication open prior to the first transcontinental telegraph line, which began operation in October, 1861. The company was replaced as soon as it was feasible, owing to the tremendous expense and danger of operating such an enterprise through some of the most harsh and dangerous terrain in the country. As such, the express mail service was in operation for only 18 months, from April, 1860 to October, 1861.
California gained prominence after gold was discovered in 1848, but for all the money that was pouring out of the territory, communication remained painfully slow. California became a state in 1850, and the population had swelled to nearly 400,000 by 1860, just before the outbreak of the Civil War. Thus, there was growing demand to shorten the time to get word of happenings back east to the West coast in a more expeditious manner. Enter William Russell, Alexander Majors and William Waddell, the three founders, who already had ample freighting and shipping experience. Because stagecoaches were ponderously slow as well, and the transcontinental railroad was a dream of the future, the three figured on a faster mail service, which was to operate between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California, with letters to be delivered in about ten days, compared to at least double that by stage, and four to six weeks by ship.
The downfall was ultimately a financial one, which was not surprising: the initial price of a letter sent by pony was $5 per half-ounce (in 1850s dollars), but the amount decreased to $1 by 1861. Still, it's been calculated that it cost 25000% more than the regular price of mail, which was then a paltry 2 cents per ounce. Attempts to cut down on weight included the use of tissue paper rather than standard paper for letters and newspapers. The only way the enterprise could have remained feasible was to land a lucrative government contract to deliver official US government mail, but that never materialized, hastening the venture's demise.
The cost was in the labor costs, horses and the maintenance of both animals and men. Construction of way stations, located about 10 miles apart, for the entire 1900-mile route, was the largest expense, as there were hundreds of them, each of which had to be staffed and maintained, as did the hundreds of horses. The company also owned about 400 horses, each costing about $200, a not-inconsiderate sum back in the day. Some horses at auction today only cost a few hundred dollars, so these were the cream of the crop, as they had to withstand the rigors of extreme physical work with little rest. They were generally ponies: they rarely exceeded about 14.2 hands in height and 900 pounds. Mustangs were often used for the westernmost areas of the route, because of the even more treacherous, rugged terrain.
For the riders, the work was back-breaking, literally: they could not weigh more than 125 pounds, changed horses every 10 miles, and were relieved every 75-100 miles, but may have been required to ride more than 20 hours at a brisk pace, expected to average about 16 miles per hour. They received the decent salary of $125 per month as well as their room and board, which was considerable, and attractive to many adventure-seekers. Even skilled laborers like masons and carpenters made less than $2 a day. Despite the dangerous conditions, there were no shortage of applicants. As the book notes, several turned out to be some of the most famous figures of the Old West, including Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody.
Despite its relative fame, specific details about the company are few and far between, so it's understandable that the book employs some artistic license. Little evidence has survived about most of the individuals who made the Pony what it was. As the book notes, however, Americans love an adventure story, particularly one which describes the exploits of brave adventurers who labored under unimaginable conditions and who played a role in the taming of the Wild West.
It was something of an experiment, a stop-gap measure to keep lines of communication open prior to the first transcontinental telegraph line, which began operation in October, 1861. The company was replaced as soon as it was feasible, owing to the tremendous expense and danger of operating such an enterprise through some of the most harsh and dangerous terrain in the country. As such, the express mail service was in operation for only 18 months, from April, 1860 to October, 1861.
California gained prominence after gold was discovered in 1848, but for all the money that was pouring out of the territory, communication remained painfully slow. California became a state in 1850, and the population had swelled to nearly 400,000 by 1860, just before the outbreak of the Civil War. Thus, there was growing demand to shorten the time to get word of happenings back east to the West coast in a more expeditious manner. Enter William Russell, Alexander Majors and William Waddell, the three founders, who already had ample freighting and shipping experience. Because stagecoaches were ponderously slow as well, and the transcontinental railroad was a dream of the future, the three figured on a faster mail service, which was to operate between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California, with letters to be delivered in about ten days, compared to at least double that by stage, and four to six weeks by ship.
The downfall was ultimately a financial one, which was not surprising: the initial price of a letter sent by pony was $5 per half-ounce (in 1850s dollars), but the amount decreased to $1 by 1861. Still, it's been calculated that it cost 25000% more than the regular price of mail, which was then a paltry 2 cents per ounce. Attempts to cut down on weight included the use of tissue paper rather than standard paper for letters and newspapers. The only way the enterprise could have remained feasible was to land a lucrative government contract to deliver official US government mail, but that never materialized, hastening the venture's demise.
The cost was in the labor costs, horses and the maintenance of both animals and men. Construction of way stations, located about 10 miles apart, for the entire 1900-mile route, was the largest expense, as there were hundreds of them, each of which had to be staffed and maintained, as did the hundreds of horses. The company also owned about 400 horses, each costing about $200, a not-inconsiderate sum back in the day. Some horses at auction today only cost a few hundred dollars, so these were the cream of the crop, as they had to withstand the rigors of extreme physical work with little rest. They were generally ponies: they rarely exceeded about 14.2 hands in height and 900 pounds. Mustangs were often used for the westernmost areas of the route, because of the even more treacherous, rugged terrain.
For the riders, the work was back-breaking, literally: they could not weigh more than 125 pounds, changed horses every 10 miles, and were relieved every 75-100 miles, but may have been required to ride more than 20 hours at a brisk pace, expected to average about 16 miles per hour. They received the decent salary of $125 per month as well as their room and board, which was considerable, and attractive to many adventure-seekers. Even skilled laborers like masons and carpenters made less than $2 a day. Despite the dangerous conditions, there were no shortage of applicants. As the book notes, several turned out to be some of the most famous figures of the Old West, including Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody.
Despite its relative fame, specific details about the company are few and far between, so it's understandable that the book employs some artistic license. Little evidence has survived about most of the individuals who made the Pony what it was. As the book notes, however, Americans love an adventure story, particularly one which describes the exploits of brave adventurers who labored under unimaginable conditions and who played a role in the taming of the Wild West.
March 23, 2020
About Landmark Books
"Each is a book that brings to life a great event or personality in our nation's past. Each is designed to be rich, rewarding reading, capable of stirring the heart as well as the mind. Each is intended to arouse in the reader not only an interest in the course of history, but also an understanding of how the democracy that is our heritage was forged."
-From one of the dust jackets
The Landmark Books for children are a great way to learn history! I can't say enough about these, and it's no wonder that they are highly sought after in the homeschool community. From what I’ve researched, I’ve found these books to be very historically accurate. It’s history told in nicely narrated story-form – a win!
Ages: 10+
Pages: approx. 175-200
Illustrations: some
Price Range: $4 – $125 depending on HC or PB, and the title and its rarity.
Cleanliness: nothing to note.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! You’ll see my updates as I’m reading and know which books I’m liking and what I’m not finishing and why. You’ll also be able to utilize my library for looking up titles to see whether the book you’re thinking about reading next has any objectionable content or not. From swear words, to romance, to bad attitudes (in children’s books), I cover it all!
"Each is a book that brings to life a great event or personality in our nation's past. Each is designed to be rich, rewarding reading, capable of stirring the heart as well as the mind. Each is intended to arouse in the reader not only an interest in the course of history, but also an understanding of how the democracy that is our heritage was forged."
-From one of the dust jackets
The Landmark Books for children are a great way to learn history! I can't say enough about these, and it's no wonder that they are highly sought after in the homeschool community. From what I’ve researched, I’ve found these books to be very historically accurate. It’s history told in nicely narrated story-form – a win!
Ages: 10+
Pages: approx. 175-200
Illustrations: some
Price Range: $4 – $125 depending on HC or PB, and the title and its rarity.
Cleanliness: nothing to note.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! You’ll see my updates as I’m reading and know which books I’m liking and what I’m not finishing and why. You’ll also be able to utilize my library for looking up titles to see whether the book you’re thinking about reading next has any objectionable content or not. From swear words, to romance, to bad attitudes (in children’s books), I cover it all!
November 6, 2022
Samuel Hopkins Adams The Pony Express was written in 1950 when the author was in his late seventies. It was written for young readers and is part of the Random House "Landmark" series. A couple of summers ago I took the family on a road trip and we found ourselves in Carson City, Nevada. There was a small monument to the Pony Express in downtown area which celebrated Carson City being a stop on the Pony Express. My son had a lot of questions which I didn't have the answer to regarding the "Pony" which precipitated the purchase of Adams novel. Information I gained from reading this book: the Pony Express got the mail from St. Joseph, Missouri to San Francisco, California in ten days; the "Pony" was started in 1860 on the eve the Civil War and was instrumental in getting defensive dispatches from Washington D.C. to prevent Southern annexation of California; Congress refused to fund the Pony Express and it went bankrupt in eighteen months. Also of interest was that the Pony Express was almost completely forgotten until a former employee, one Buffalo Bill Cody, reenacted famous incidents from the ill fated mail business in his Wild West shows. Its investors sunk $900,000 into the Pony Express to earn a grand total of $200,000. Elon Musk I have another information sharing startup that you might be interested in.....
September 30, 2020
I'm working my way through several old books that we inherited and this was one of those. It was written for young readers and I think fits nicely in that category. It was not an exhaustive account of the Pony Express by any stretch, but it was an interesting, if brief account.
The most interesting part of the whole book was the personal story of when the author had a conversation with an old pony rider. That is an invaluable bit of history no amount of research an uncover.
The most interesting part of the whole book was the personal story of when the author had a conversation with an old pony rider. That is an invaluable bit of history no amount of research an uncover.
June 14, 2023
The Pony Express seemed the perfect book to include in our Road Trip Morning Time, since we were driving over a portion of the Pony Express route. The mister was just as fascinated by the account as the kids--the sign of a well-written book about an interesting moment in history. We haven't ready many Landmark books, but all the ones we have read have been fabulous. I'm looking forward to including more of them in our school this year.
September 5, 2023
2 on research, 2 on logic, 2 on style, 2 on weight, 1 on affections. 9 out of 10. Very interesting. I did not know that they only operated for 19 months, that congress snubbed them so foolishly, or that they played such a crucial role in the development of America.
September 18, 2018
Nightly read aloud to the kids. Another great book in the landmark series, although many of the technical aspects of the Pony Express lost their interest.
March 20, 2019
Good reference book for facts about this short-lived service in early USA.
August 28, 2025
Excellent book. Simply written, exciting, informative. Perfect for grades 4-6.
March 20, 2020
Lots of cool information about the Pony Express. Near the end he even tells the story of one of the riders that was told to him first hand.
I didn’t know it wasn’t profitable or that it only lasted a year and a half, 19 months actually or that it was essential in saving the union.
Some of the information went over my head as an adult so I’m sure an elementary child would definitely be confused by some of it. I read it to my kids and there were some times that it was confusing to us, But there were so many good stories that it was still very informative and interesting.
I didn’t know it wasn’t profitable or that it only lasted a year and a half, 19 months actually or that it was essential in saving the union.
Some of the information went over my head as an adult so I’m sure an elementary child would definitely be confused by some of it. I read it to my kids and there were some times that it was confusing to us, But there were so many good stories that it was still very informative and interesting.
May 19, 2014
I picked up a Landmark Book from the local transfer station and it took me a bit before I recognized the cover style and remembered that I had a few of these WAY back in the day. So far this is the only one I can remember. At least I THINK the P.E. book was of this series. I definitely read a P.E. book.
January 22, 2015
I liked it. You would face many dangers when you went on the pony express.
February 4, 2015
It's interesting.
August 24, 2015
Written for the young but I really enjoyed it. Perfect for and afternoons reading. Adding to my history knowledge is always a great.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews