The one thing I wanted to do on our way across Nebraska this trip was stop at the Pony Express Station in Gothenburg. It is only open seasonally so coming through in March in the future would not work. I find all things Pony Express fascinating.
The Pony Express Station in Gothenburg is open from early April to the end of October every day. You can view the outside of it all year round.
The Sam Macchette Station was built in 1854 on the Oregon Trail and used as a trading post and ranch house. It was also a Pony Express station for the 18 months that the Pony Express operated from April 1860 to October 1861. Afterwards it was used as a stagecoach station, bunkhouse, and private dwelling. It was moved to it's present day location in 1931 when Mrs. C. A. Williams donated it to the city of Gothenburg.
The building is not much bigger than my kitchen. It houses a small museum featuring what life would have been like as a Pony Express Station. It also had a nice collection of antique revolvers.
One of the reasons I wanted to stop here was to get a Pony Express stamp but since COVID hit, the National Park Service removed all the stamps and they never got it back. Oh well. I think I have one anyways. There is a pressed penny machine which might just become my next collection.
The Gothenburg Pony Express Station is worth the stop. You only need 15-20 minutes to see it, more if you really read everything. It is located in a city park so plenty of room for pets and kids to run around. There is also the Sod House Museum in town that is on my bucket list and should probably have checked out while we were there. Alas next time.
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