Featured Project

Pony Express

The year 2010 marks the 150th celebration of the Pony Express. Board members of the Original Pony Express Home Station Inc. have another reason to celebrate — preservation efforts on the Original Pony Express Home Station No. 1 in Marysville are complete. The board received a 2008 Heritage Trust Fund (HTF) grant through the Kansas Historical Society to assist with the improvements.

The Original Pony Express Home Station No. 1 is the only home station located along the entire 1,840 mile Pony Express trail between St. Joseph, MO, and Sacramento, CA, that still stands exactly where it was built. It is also the oldest building in Marshall County that is still in use. The building has served many different functions, but now houses a museum. Each June the barn is also part of a Pony Express reenactment/re-ride in which members of the National Pony Express Association participate.

Board members of the Original Pony Express Home Station Inc. wanted to preserve the building that was constructed in 1860 to ensure that the brief, but important story of the Pony Express could continue to be shared with a local and national audience. The integrity of the building was being threatened as the elements could easily enter the interior through the roof where shingles were failing. Infiltration of the elements was also causing the cupola roof to deteriorate and cracking was visible along mortar joints of the stone walls.

The building now has a new roof and refurbished cupola. In addition, the interior was shored up where rotting beams and support were creating a situation that needed to be addressed to maintain integrity. New timbers were distressed to blend with the old lumber in the building’s interior. All work was done according to the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

The North Central Regional Planning Commission (NCRPC) provided grant writing and administration for this project. Properties must be listed on the National Register of Historic Places or the Register of Historic Kansas Places to qualify for the HTF program. The HTF finances activities that preserve or restore historic properties. Qualifying expenses include professional fees and construction costs. Individual grant awards may not exceed $90,000 and must be matched by the grant recipient. Information workshops are held throughout the year at various locations around the state. Applications are due November 1st each year. For more about the Heritage Trust Fund (HTF) Program, contact the NCRPC or visit www.kshs.org/resource/htfinfo.htm.