Public invited to witness exchanges, participate in related activities
The National Pony Express is on the Historic Pony Express Trail once again, trekking from St. Joseph Missouri to Sacramento and Folsom will be one of its many stops along the way with three different riders making exchanges in the city limits on Thursday, June. 27, including a special stop in Historic Folsom, that the community will surely gather to witness and be part of.
The annual re-ride is a 10-day, 24-hour per day event that will travel the Pony Express National Historic Trail, now a component of the National Trail System that is managed by the National Park Service. From California, the mail will travel 1966 miles across California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, to Missouri. The 2024 trek departed St. Joseph Missouri on Monday, June 17. The ride travelled through Kansas and Nebraska this week and will travel through Wyoming and Utah by the end of the weekend before hitting the California/Nevada Stateline next Wednesday evening. After making its way through Folsom on the 27th, the ride will come to an end later that same day in Old Sacramento.
The Pony Express riders and horses are expected to make their way into Folsom before noon next Thursday. According to the official re-ride schedule and roster, rider Cindy Dawsa will be the first one into the city as she treks into the city with a quick exchange near Folsom Dam Road t 11:06 am. Rider Carolyn Gilmore will then carry the mail into Historic Folsom where she is expected to arrive at 11:30 a.m. Thursday and is the recommended viewing spot for those that want to partake in the event. Rider Jim Swigers will be the third and final rider within Folsom, taking over after a quick stop near Willow Creek before the ride hits the American River Parkway to trek into Sacramento.
The Folsom History Museum at 823 Sutter St. is the ideal spot to witness the ride in Folsom, as the incoming rider is expected to gallop up the street for the ceremonial exchange with the outgoing rider who will head off towards Old Sacramento, where the run is scheduled to arrive and conclude later that same day at 4:30 p.m. to officially deliver the load of personal mail and commemorative letters that are carried by mochila along the route, passed from rider to rider along the way.
On Thursday, The Folsom History Museum is welcoming the community to come out for the event early. Starting at 10 am on Thursday the 27th, the museum will have Pony Express themed crafts activities for families to enjoy as they visit with the waiting rider and wait for the arrival of the rider from Sacramento to gallop up in for the ceremonial exchange. The waiting rider will be on hand for photo opportunities and visits as well. For more information on the events surrounding this special stop visit www.folsomhistory.org.
Some 600 Riders from the eight State Divisions of the Pony Express will ride in Relays of 1-5 miles each, 24 hours a day until the delivery is complete in the re-run. At each stop, the riders will take the ceremonial Pony Express Oath and receive a Bible prior to riding the next leg with the mochila, which is a leather square with cantinas in each corner holding the mail.
The Re-ride honors the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company. It carried letters and telegrams from April 1860 to November 1861 to prove the Central Route through Salt Lake passable year-round in and effort to win a proposed Federal mail contract.
Updates and information can be found at nationalponyexpress.org.
Author: Bill Sullivan
Bill Sullivan has over 25 years of professional journalism and content creation experience in which he has earned 37 professional awards. He is the co-founder/publisher of Folsom Times an All Town Media LLC product.