Submitted by scott on Mon, 06/17/2013 - 12:00

 Located near Willow Creek and Spring. Located 12 miles from Red Butte Station and 14 miles from Horse Creek Station. http://www.expeditionutah.com/featured-trails/pony-express-trail/wyoming-pony-express-stations/

Many sources identify Willow Springs as a station, including the 1861 Overland Mail Company contract.  The Hendersons located this station approximately twenty-eight miles southwest of current-day Casper, Wyoming.  According to the Settles, the site at one time consisted of a crude structure without a corral, and it served as a home station for stage lines and a relay station for riders.  Franzwa notes Willow Springs in his Oregon Trail maps but does not specifically identify it as a Pony or stage station.  Records for the firm of Russell, Majors, and Waddell document the Pony Express station entitled "Willow Springs." In 1862, the stage line route via Fort Laramie and the Great South Pass was abandoned for a more southern trail through Bridger's Pass. Thus, within several years, the building at Willow Springs became obsolete and began to collapse from decay.

http://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/poex/hrs/hrs6a.htm#70

Linked Chapters

Marker Category
Pony Express
Geolocation

42.679405212402, -106.75938415527

Geofield
Roughing It

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