Preservation: Pony Express Rides On
By: TW Editors 05/01/2007
Pony Express Rides On
Back on April 3, 1860, a rider headed out of St. Joseph, Missouri, carrying saddlebags of mail to Sacramento, California. The The Pony Express was born. It lasted just a year and a half, but its legacy and legend continue to this day.
A piece of the company’s history almost fell down in early February of this year. Winter weather caused water damage to an early 20th-century building owned by the Pony Express Museum. Part of the Goetz Bar's south wall collapsed, threatening the entire structure. The city of St. Joseph condemned it. The building—used for museum storage—had a doubtful future.
The city worked with the museum, insurance companies and structural engineers to find a solution. The wall is temporarily stabilized. Insurance will cover repairs to the bar. And museum officials are considering plans to renovate the Goetz—the bar is still intact—into a restaurant or rental facility at some point in the future.
In the meantime, the museum, along with the Patee House Museum and the house where Jesse James was killed, remain big tourist draws: 800-530-5930.
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