Griffith Park in Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Special Delivery
Autry National Center
— Griffith Park —
The Pony Express was an ultra-fast but short-lived mail service that ran between the East and West from 1860 to 1861. The roughly 1,900-mile route began in Missouri and passed through Wyoming and Utah before crossing the Sierra Nevada mountain range to reach its destination in Sacramento. Riders exchanged horses at more than 180 stations during this journey, which took between nine and ten days, and for which they were paid around $25 a week (compared to the going rate of $1 a week for skilled labor).
"Special Delivery" depicts the critical moment when Pony Express riders carried Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural address from a telegraph station in Nebraska to newspapers in California in the record time of seven days and seventeen hours. Although it lasted only eighteen months, the image of the Pony Express lingers to this day as a symbol of the daring enterprise that many consider emblematic of the Western spirit.
Erected 2011 by Autry National Center.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Communications • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #16 Abraham Lincoln series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1860.
Location. 34° 8.924′ N, 118° 16.892′ W. Marker is in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Griffith Park. Marker is on Western Heritage Way south of Zoo Drive. The Autry National Center is adjacent to the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Griffith Park. The park facilities are accessible from the Golden State Freeway (I-5) via Zoo Drive. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles CA 90027, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Los Angeles River (within shouting distance of this marker); The Birth of The Curse (approx. half a mile away); 100 Years of Golf in Griffith Park (approx. half a mile away); Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (approx. 0.6 miles away); Amir’s Garden (approx. 0.8 miles away); Riverside Drive - Zoo Drive Bridge (approx. 0.9 miles away); Tragedy in Griffith Park (approx. 0.9 miles away); Riverside Drive Bridge (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.
Additional keywords. Gene Autry, "The Singing Cowbo Special Delivery
Credits. This page was last revised on February 26, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 13, 2014, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. This page has been viewed 866 times since then and 34 times this year. Last updated on August 16, 2014, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 13, 2014, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.