Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the short-lived but far-reaching American Institution The Pony Express by following a historical re-enactment along the original trail from Sacramento California to Saint Joseph Missouri. This film touches upon the effect 'The Pony' had on the history of America during the pivotal mid-19th century and explores the current repercussions still felt today.

The Pony Express is a silent 1925 Western film produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by James Cruze and starred his wife Betty Compson along with Ricardo Cortez, Wallace Beery, and George Bancroft.

In a rigged gunfight Tom Blake is forced to shoot a man in self defense and is then hunted for murder. After a long trip fleeing the posse he uses a false name and joins the Pony Express which is just about to commence operatons. Relegated to the most dangerous section of the route, he finds himself fighting the District Manager's scheme to sabotage the inital run. But just then a wanted poster with his picture on it arrives.

In this short, a youthful Buffalo Bill Cody joins the newly-formed Pony Express as a station hand and replaces the regular rider when he is shot.

In the midst of the Civil War, Lassiter has a plan to get control of California. Working out of St. Joseph, he plans to send forged messages to the troops on the west coast via Pony Express. First he attempts to bribe Pony Express ride Roy Rogers. When Roy refuses he turns to the outlaw Johnson and his gang and this leads to trouble.

A youth who has recently graduated can't find a job. One day he unintentionally snatches a bag from a girl and buys a motorbike with the "proceeds" of the theft. Then he begins to work as a mail express courier. At first the girl denounces him then falls in love with him.

Hoshino Bunzo raises up his orphan grandson, Keiji whose right leg gets paralyzed when he was an infant. Bunzo loves Keiji so much that he does every thing to protect his grandson. Sonoda Keiko, a new young teacher comes to the school when a new term starts. She wants Keiji to go back to school. After two years absence from school, Keiji tries to attend the class but he cannot continue. All pupils hold an exhibition of Keiji’s paintings in the village shrine to make him happy. He is very pleased and gives his paintings to them and to Keiko, he gives a painting entitled "Spring Pony". When this picture is awarded a prize in the National Friendship Painting Compettition, it is like a new beginning for Keiji’s family.

Tom Allen, an orphan accustomed to waiting in bread lines is awarded a scholarship to the Culver Military Academy. Talked into attending so that he can have free room and board, Allen initially resists the rigid discipline but later softens as he makes friends and sees the value to the hard work and discipline.

The day before Christmas in a squalid tenement room shared by young sisters Nell and Bess, their brother Tom, and their 18-year-old sister Anne the younger children gather all their pennies and give them to Anne so she can buy Christmas presents for them. Anne looks at their meager savings with a sad smile, letting the coins trickle through her fingers onto the table, knowing the few pennies will not be enough to buy presents.

This Christmas film, created as a special for television broadcast throughout the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania viewing region, was produced by puppeteer Mabel Beaton and her husband Les for Bell Telephone Company and first aired in 1953. Following a short live-action opening portion, featured are two extended marionette segments, the first dramatizing Clement Moore's "A Visit from St. Nicholas", the second reverently telling the Nativity story; the two stories are staged in classic, traditional style. From 1953 onward, for several years, The Spirit of Christmas was broadcast in the intended region multiple times per holiday season. It was also available as a 16mm film licensed to schools for showings to students. This film often is misstated to have originally been broadcast in 1950.