Pony Express commemoration to ride through Utah

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the historic Pony Express.

It was a rapid mail service by a series of horseback riders over a 1,966-mile route between St. Joseph, Mo., and Sacramento, Calif., from April 1860 to October 1861. It was replaced by telegraph service.

During this year's annual re-ride commemoration of the Pony Express by the National Pony Express organization, activities will feature day-time rides only to allow communities along the route to be more involved in the event.

In Utah, the Pony Express re-ride is scheduled to be in Fairfield (Camp Floyd) the morning of Thursday, June 10.

Riders will then participate in a Pony Express monument dedication in Eagle Mountain and arrive at This is the Place Heritage Park at 5 p.m. that day for a celebration there.

The Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service will also both be supporting these activities.

In addition, the Utah Humanities Council is providing funding so Christopher Corbett, author of "Orphans Preferred" — which dispels myths that have grown up around the Pony Express — can speak at This is the Place on Thursday, May 20.

Utahns have provided numerous riders, station managers and organizational leadership to the re-ride organization.

Three of the nation's four long-distance historic trails passed through the territory of Utah. The Pony Express Trail is the best preserved of the three.

For more information, go to: www.xphomestation.com