From gunfights at Rock Creek to hot peaches at Liberty Farm, this episode traces the short but powerful run of the Pony Express. Though it lasted just 18 months, its mark across Nebraska endures, from relay stations and home stops to the towns and trails that grew in its wake.

You’ll hear stories from Rock Creek Station, where a deadly conflict launched the legend of Wild Bill Hickok. Liberty Farm, a cozy home station, lost to the 1864 uprising. Fort Kearny, a military post that helped spark a settlement boom. And Gothenburg, the self-proclaimed Pony Express capital with a flair for nostalgia.

We also explore how communities today keep the memory alive, through re-rides, restored sites and old trail pride that refuses to fade.

Want to see more? See photos, maps and more glimpses of prairie life on Instagram: @rootedintheplains

Want to learn more?

• https://nationalponyexpress.org/
• https://visitkearney.org/places/fort-kearny-state-historical-park/
• Gilman, Musetta. “Chapter 4.” Essay. In Pump on the Prairie: A Chronicle of a Road Ranch, 1859- 1868 (1981)
• Hill, William E. The Pony Express Trail: Yesterday and Today. (2010)
• “Wild Bill Hickok’s First Gunfight | July 12, 1861.” History.com, 2020
• Mattes, Merrill J. “Section 3.” Essay. In The Great Platte River Road: The Covered Wagon Mainline via Fort Kearny to Fort Laramie (1988)
• https://outdoornebraska.gov/location/rock-creek-station-shp/.
• “Pony Express NHT: Historic Resource Study (Chapter 4).” National Parks Service, 2008