Escapees September-October 2023

the Pony Express route. The home station in Marysville, a stone barn built, by Joseph Cottrell in 1859, was leased to the Pony Express. Mr. Cottrell also kept his black smith shop in this barn. The Pony Express barn, one of the oldest buildings in Marshall County, is fi lled with interesting, informative exhibits. ( The location is 106 South Eighth St. ) The building consists of the original stable used by the Pony Express Riders. At this time, Pony Express exhibits have been joined by rail and trail exhibits, giving a more complete picture of early times in Kansas. For the salary of $100 to $150 a month, young men, many of them in their teens, carried mail pouches on an established route leading from St Joseph, Missouri, across the Great Plains and into California. Each rider rode 75 to 100 miles before turning over the mail to another rider. The mail was in a moch ila that had four mail pockets, called canti nas, which were always locked during the rides. Two minutes were allowed for changing horses at the stations. The mail route was a distance of 1,600 miles. To accomplish this feat, it took 80 riders, 400 horses, 190 stations and 400 station keepers. Also, each rider was issued a Bible. There were great dangers riding through the different areas. Some riders were killed enroute. On April 3, 1860, Johnny Fry was the fi rst rider who reached Marysville, Kansas. This method of delivering mail was expensive. The fi rst charge was fi vedollars per ounce and fi ve cents for every additional ounce. Later, charges were reduced because the telegraph was completed across the continent, providing a cheaper and quicker method of sending letters. Along the west edge of Marysville is a bronze sculpture depicting a Pony Express rider on his mount, racing across the prairie. Marysville is also home to many festivals. These include the Big Blue River days, Mother’s Day Market and Black Squirrel Night, honoring the town’s mascot. Another attraction in Marysville illuminates a different aspect of Kansas’ rich history. The 1870s brought many immigrants from European shores including Charles Koester, a German. He later married a local schoolteacher, and the couple raised three children in Marysville.

Hiawatha and Mount Hope Cemetery A Kentucky-born man, John Davis, left his own unique mark in Brown County, Kansas. He ended his journey west, near Hiawatha, Kansas. After he married a local girl, Sarah Hart, the couple moved to a 260 acre farm north of Hiawatha. Working hard and living frugally, the couple amassed a great amount of money. After Sarah’s death in 1930, John began building a memorial to his loved ones. This memorial, consisting of a 52-ton stone canopy supported by pillars, was placed over Sarah’s grave in Mount Hope Cemetery. Posed beneath this canopy are life-sized stone fi gures depicting the stages of John’s and Sarah’s lives. It is said that Mr. Davis spent between $100,000 and $200,000 for the construc tion of this monument. At the time, this did not make the Hiawatha residents particularly happy as they believed the money could have been spent better on a much-needed hospital.

“At this particular location, it is possible to spend hours sight-seeing, bird-watching, photographing and observing nature in this rich collection of animals and plants.”

“They hate me,” Mr. Davis commented, “but it is my money, and I spent it in the way I pleased.” Truthfully, this memorial has bene fi ted the community because thou sands of visitors have visited the grave site and the town of Hiawatha. There are many things to see and do in Hiawatha. Of course, the Davis Memorial, Hiawatha Lake, Korthanke Memorial Fountain, the Brown County Museum and the Agricultural museum all draw visitors. There are also over a dozen historic homes. Marysville and the Pony Express On our journey across Kansas, the next town played an important role in the Pony Express venture. In fact, the Pony Express was partly responsible for the growth of this town. Marysville was Station Number 1 on

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ESCAPEES Magazine September/October 2023