| Carbon County residents can learn more about the Pony Express at an evening presentation on June 10 at Camp Floyd in Fairfield. |
As part of Pony Express Days, Camp Floyd/Stagecoach Inn State Park and Museum in Fairfield will host a Pony Express presentation on June 10 from 6 to 9 p.m.
The event is free to the public and visitors are invited to bring a picnic dinner to enjoy during a presentation by Jere L. Krakow, the superintendent of the National Trails System.
Drinks and dessert will be provided for everyone who attends by the park staff.
A photography exhibit, On the Winds of Destiny: A Biographical Look at Pony Express Riders will be up from June 5 through June 30.
The exhibit belongs to the St. Joseph Museum Inc., which has been collecting information on the Pony Express since the 1930s. To date, research confirms 193 known Pony Express riders. Photographs found for
61 of these riders are featured in the exhibit.
In 1860, William Russell, Alexander Majors and William Waddell, who had a freighting monopoly on the central route to California, decided to prove mail could be carried over this treacherous route year-round.
Pony Express riders changed horses every 10 to 15 miles, with a new rider taking over every 75 to 100 miles. This system delivered mail from St. Joseph, Mo. to Sacramento, Calif. in 10 days. The Pony Express lasted until the telegraph was completed in late October 1861.
To visit Camp Floyd/Stagecoach Inn take Lehi Exit 282 and drive on Main Street (Highway 73) west to Fairfield, then follow the signs to the park. For more information, call (801) 768-8932.