The Solano Hotel in Benicia served on the Pony Express Route from April 23, 1860, to September 8, 1861, and as a home station from April 23, 1860, to April 15, 1861. On the Sacramento-to-San Francisco run, rider Sam Hamilton approached Benicia past Cordelia and could see Suisun Bay. Riding down First Street, he passed California's third Capitol Building and reached the Solano Hotel at 6:25 A.M. after covering 63.3 miles from Sacramento in 5 hours and 10 minutes at an average speed of 12.25 miles per hour. By then he had traveled 119 miles since leaving Sportsman's Hall 12 miles east of Placerville. At the hotel, the mail was exchanged to a new horse and rider, Thomas Bedford, a 34-year-old livery stable keeper at the Solano Hotel's stable across First Street. Bedford then rode to the foot of First Street, where the ferry Carquinez carried him to Martinez.