The name “Pony Express” evokes visions of the strongest and fastest horses that could be found galloping across a young United States to deliver mail to eager citizens.

The Pony Express in Dayville functions both as a post office and as a lodging for those who wish to stay in comfortable accommodations while taking a stroll down memory lane.

Pony Express Suites offers three lodging choices behind the post office with a fourth located beside the Dayville Community Hall on the other side of Highway 26 (locally known as Franklin Street), the main drag through town.

Pony Express Suites offers two one-bedroom rentals, a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit and a studio apartment. The basement of the main building can also accommodate renters for larger parties who may not all fit into a single room, according to manager Cindy Strang.

Strang said the Pony Express building was built in 1905 and used to be a store before becoming the Pony Express and post office. The rental units behind the post office were created in the early 2000s by the previous owners of the building, Strang said.

Strang and her husband, Rod, got into the short-term rental business about five years ago when they started renting out the freestanding studio, which stands beside their residence. They acquired the Pony Express building about two years ago.

Purchasing the establishment came at the behest of Strang’s son, who used to live in Room No. 3 of the Pony Express Suites while also managing the property.

“He kept telling me, ‘Mom, we have to get our hands on this,’” Strang said.

“My husband and I did go in on it with him and then we bought him out,” she added. “He’s in Hawaii, he’s moved on to bigger things.”

Following the purchase of Pony Express Suites, the Strangs launched a massive renovation project on the property before opening up the rooms to rent to the public.

“I’ve redone all the rooms and upgraded the beds and linens and stuff like that,” Strang explained.

The rooms themselves are a journey into the past without feeling dated.

“We’ve had a lot of good reviews,” Strang said. “They say it’s really calm and quiet and quaint.”

The rooms are advertised on Airbnb.com, which sets the rates based on the day of the week, time of year and other factors.

“I set a low price and a high price, and AirBnB uses that range to figure out as far as like holiday weekends and midweek,” Strang said. “They adjust it according to demand. And they’ve done pretty well.”

Those who are looking to make the trek to Dayville to stay at the Pony Express Suites will find a warm and friendly reception, according to Strang.

“It makes people feel at home. Dayville is a very homey community,” she explained.

“They can come and see for themselves,” she added.

WHAT: Pony Express Suites

WHERE: 145 Franklin St., Dayville

OWNERS: Cindy and Rod Strang

ACCOMMODATIONS: Four short-term rental units (one two-bedroom, two one-bedrooms and a studio)

ETC.: For availability and pricing information, search for Dayville on Airbnb.com