Pony Express Statue — Attraction in Sacramento

The Pony Express Statue in Sacramento, California, stands as a tribute to the daring riders of the historic mail service that briefly connected the American West to the rest of the nation. Located at the corner of 2nd and J Streets in Old Sacramento State Historic Park, the statue marks the western terminus of the Pony Express route. This dynamic bronze sculpture, created around 1960 by California artist Thomas Holland, depicts a Pony Express rider on a galloping horse, capturing the urgency and determination of the mail service . The rider’s attire was inspired by a description in Mark Twain’s 1872 book Roughing It, and features authentic details such as a mail pouch (mochila) modeled after originals from the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, and a bit and bridle designed after 1850s military tack. The statue commemorates the inaugural westbound journey of the Pony Express, which began at this location at 2:45 a.m. on April 4, 1860, when rider Sam Hamilton set off in a blinding rainstorm on the first leg of the nearly 2,000-mile route to St. Joseph, Missouri. Today, the statue serves as a historical landmark, honoring the brief but impactful existence of the Pony Express and its role in uniting the nation during a...

I love history and this is part of ours in the USA. We were visiting family in Sacramento and took a stroll through Old Town. This is where the Pony Express ended and it started in St. Joseph (Joe) Missouri. It only lasted 18 months (April 3 1860-October 26 1861) due to the Trans-Atlantic Telegraph being completed. But in it’s heyday it they could travel on horseback 1800 miles in 10 days. Quite a feat...

The history surrounding us is incredible! I really enjoyed learning more about the Pony Express and it's place in Sacramento's history. It's incredible that only a single pouch out of 35,000 carried by the Pony Express was...