Keeping history alive

Once a year the public gets a glimpse of what it was like during the one-year period, 1860-1861, when mail was delivered by Pony Express.

Trading off each year, one year riding from St. Joseph, Mo., to Sacramento, Calif., and the next going the opposite direction, The National Pony Express Association's 10-day non-stop event this year commemorated the 146th anniversary of the founding of the Central Overland and California Pikes Peak Express Company.

The event began in Sacramento on June 6, and will end at its Missouri destination on June 16.

Wednesday morning the riders were making their way into the state of Nevada by way of Woodfords. The crowd began gathering at the historic Genoa transfer site in front of the Genoa Court House Museum at 8 a.m. It was not until about noon that the rider, Bob Moore of Gardnerville, was in sight. In the meantime the audience heard a historical account of Snowshoe Thompson's life, told by a man who has played the character for 20 years, Don Thompson of Reno.

Thompson, 77, said he has lived in Northern Nevada since 1945. He is the fifth generation in his family to have lived in or near Carson Valley and his ancestors settled in the Valley in 1862.

"That's why I do this," said Thompson. "I not only honor Snowshoe, but my family too."

Thompson volunteers to portray the man who delivered mail on skis from Placerville, Calif., to Genoa for 20 years, and who was buried in the Genoa Cemetery.

"Well, somebody's got to preserve it," said Thompson. "I do a story on the most overlooked skier in history."

By 10:30 a.m. there were about 40-50 people listening to Thompson and waiting for the Pony Express rider to arrive. The postal delivery on horseback was supposed to have been there at 9:30 a.m.

"It's just like the mail," said Douglas County Historical Society member Laurie Hickey, laughing.

The museum volunteers gave tours during the wait, showing visitors the several rooms and exhibits including the original jail, courtroom, and the recorder's office where Stephen Kinsey worked.

Kinsey's grave is also in the Genoa Cemetery. Kinsey lived from 1828-1903 and Hickey, also a fifth-generation Northern Nevadan, was remotely related to him.

"Kinsey's wife's half brother was Theodore Perry Hawkins, a Pony Express relief rider from Genoa," said Hickey. "Hawkins' wife Clara Martin's mother was Agnes Martin Wells. She was my great-great-grandmother."

Finally, the president of the Nevada Division of the National Pony Express Association Larry McPherson arrived to ride the next 2-3 mile leg of the 1,966-mile journey. He rode his horse Sundown, a 20-year-old Spanish Arabian.

"I've ridden in this a few times, nine or ten times," the 75-year-old said.

He was going to saddle up several times for the re-ride this week. "I'll probably ride 20-30 miles," he said.

McPherson said he was wearing the same red flannel shirt and blue trousers issued to the Pony Express riders.

"But I doubt seriously they'd be wearing a red shirt," said McPherson. "Out in Indian territory they were probably wearing buckskins."

Although on Wednesday they were changing riders every 3-5 miles, McPherson said in the 1800s riders changed horses every 10-15 miles, but relieved their riders only every 75-150 miles.

The national president of the association, David Sanner, was following the entire route across the country with his 25-year-old daughter.

Sanner, of Blue Rabbits, Kan., has been president for two years, but has been in the organization since 1983.

"Keepin' that history alive, of the old trail," said Sanner, "it's just neat to be doing it."