Pony Express Museum could gallop into Lodgepole

Gordon Wilkins, a local historian from Lodgepole, is on a very interesting mission to bring Nebraska its second Pony Express museum.

Wilkins said he feels it's imperative to bring another museum here since Nebraska has the most documented Pony Express miles in the nation. He thinks it can bring an additional 3,000 to 4,000 people into the town of Lodgepole each year.

"It's for the town of Lodgepole," said Wilkins. "It will bring Lodgepole to national notoriety for Pony Express history."

He is in negotiations to purchase the old Lodgepole High School to house it. He anticipates the grand opening of "In Search of the Pony Express Museum and Library" on April 3, 2015 – the same day the express opened.

Wilkins has in his possession approximately $110,000 of Pony Express memorabilia. He has countless artifacts such as the original Pony Express movie posters, original telegraph poles and a 1987 Bronco that traveled to every stop of the Pony Express.

Wilkins' inspiration stems from a fellow historian Joe Nardone. He has a deep passion for history and passed that enthusiasm onto Wilkins. In fact, nearly all of the artifacts Wilkins has were given to him by Nardone.

Wilkins said he feels Nardone is truly the "Mr. Pony Express of America."

"He started this because he wanted to give back to America," Wilkins said. "He's really a meek and humble man. He's not a self-promoter; he's strictly about history."

The Pony Express was essentially the blueprint to the current U.S. postal system. The express consisted of various riders who would cover about 250 miles a day. The riders, who were equipped with saddle bags full of mail, would cover a 2,000-mile trail from St. Joseph, Mo., to Sacramento, Calif.

Wilkins said that this museum could be one of the best museums in the United States.

"There are 672 tourism sites in Nebraska," said Wilkins. "Out of those 672 sites, two mention the Pony Express."

"I will have some things in this museum that no other museum has," Wilkins said. "One of those are paintings that depict each area of the Pony Express. There will be 60 of those paintings valued anywhere from $120,000 to $150,000. They will go up on a mural. They're painted in 1860 settings."

Wilkins also has an 1860 bible purchased by Alexander Majors from the New York Bible Society documented in the 150th Anniversary edition of the Pony Express. The bible sold for around $38,000 in 2007. It is also the last in its collection.

"This has been a project," Wilkins said. "This is no longer a small project, but it's our project."

"I asked Joe Nardone," said Wilkins "Joe what's driving you? Your not getting anything out of this. He told me this is my way of giving back to America for all it's done for me."