Pony Express Museum celebrating historical figure Alexander Majors this weekend

MARYSVILLE, KS. - The Pony Express Museum will give a nod to one of the key figures in history this weekend.

The museum will educate the public the public about pony express member, Alexander Majors. Toby Carrig is museum director.

“Sunday afternoon Gary Hicks will come to the Pony Express Barn and Museum,” Carrig said. “He will portray Alexander Majors, one of the founders of the pony express.”

Hicks is a history buff from suburbs Kansas City who’s done extensive research on the pony express as well as Majors himself. The event comes at an appropriate time, as it’s a day before what would have been Majors’ birthday.

“Majors was born on October 4th in 1814 and he lived for 86 years,” Carrig said. “So, with it being his birthday around that time frame, we we are going to have some refreshments and cookies, as well as the presentation from Mr. Hicks.”

As Carrig mentioned, Majors was one of the founders of the pony express. It was in operation for 19 months, into the fall of 1861, when the telegraph made its debut.

“The important thing about the pony express was, during that time frame, there were tensions between the north and south as we were moving to the civil war,” Carrig said. “And also, California had also just recently become a state, so it was very important to have a line from the states in the east to the states in the west, including California and its resources, and all that was going on out there.”

The museum itself features a real life barn, used by riders. Carrig called it the most unique element of the museum.

“The pony express barn is one of the few buildings that’s on its original location on the pony express trail,”   Carrig said. “It’s actually the only home station that’s on its original location. So, we have a limestone barn that people can come check out and hear the story.”

The event is this Sunday, October 3, at 2 p.m. and is free of charge. The museum is located in downtown Marysville, at 108 S. Eight St.