| Willow Springs Willow Springs Pony Express Station | |
|---|---|
  Willow Springs Location of Willow Springs Willow Springs Pony Express Station in Wyoming  Willow Springs Willow Springs (the United States) | |
| Location | Oregon Trail Road West of Bessemer Bend, Wyoming |
| Coordinates | 42°40′28″N106°47′35″W / 42.6744°N 106.7931°W |
| Built | 1842 |
| Built for | Early pioneers, Pony Express |
Willow Springs, Wyoming, and Willow Springs Pony Express Station, was a resting spot for early American pioneers heading west, located west of the present city of Bessemer Bend, Wyoming in Natrona County. From April 1860 to October 1861, the site was a Pony Express mail service stop. The site was selected by the pioneers and the Pony Express because it has good water year-round. The site was also used as a route for the Overland Stage and Mail from 1859 to 1869. Willow Springs saw its peak use during the California gold rush, which started in 1849. Travelers to Willow Springs arrived from the North Platte River crossing near Fort Caspar near the present city of Casper, Wyoming about twenty-five miles to the east. Over 400,000 covered wagons traveled west over the Oregon Trail. Overuse killed the grass and trees around the Willow Springs. [1] [2]
With the First transcontinental telegraph completed October 24, 1861, the Pony Express service ended. [3] With the opening of the Union Pacific Railroad's first transcontinental railroad in 1868, [4] the wagon trains started to end. [5] [6] [7] [8]
A historical marker is at the Willow Springs site, installed by the Oregon-California Trails Association. [2]
