Restoration begun on 1862 Virginia Dale Overland Stage
Station
Open House June 7-8, 2013
Restoration of the Virginia
Dale
Stage Station, the only remaining Overland Stage
Station still standing in its original location started
on
April 1, 2013. Under the
direction of restoration expert Bill Bailey of Historical Associates, Inc. and Paul Matosky, Field
Engineer, the Stage Station will be
stabilized and restored back to its 1862 origins.
The
now
151
year old Stage
Station was built by the notorious
Jack Slade and is designated a
National Historic Site. It was an overnight station for the Overland Stage, a
pony express stop and has
been in continual use by the Virginia Dale ranching residents, families and friends
as their Community Center.
The
Stage Station, located four miles south of the Wyoming border on U.S. Hwy 287, was recently straightened and inspected for needed repairs before undergoing the
complete restoration.
Due to
volunteer labor, in-kind and monetary donations, and the generosity of the American Society of Civil Engineers
( who chose
the
Stage Station as its
Community Service Project for 2012), the original $326,000 restoration estimate has dropped to $135,000.
Each year the Virginia
Dale
Community Club, whose members
own the Stage Station and the adjoining Hurzeler house
(1909), have
an
Open House
to
celebrate
the
Stage
Station's
historical significance, the
rural way of life and to raise funds for the
restoration and maintenance
of
the Stage Station so that many more
generations can enjoy its
unique heritage. Admission is
free and all
proceeds go towards
the
restoration and maintenance
of
the Stage Station.
This
year's
Open House
will be held Friday, June 7 and Saturday June
8. The theme will be “Abe
Lincoln and the
Civil War”. The
local popular band “Barely Gettin' By” will kick-off the
weekend with a western dance from 7-11pm
on Friday at the
Stage
Station and an old-fashioned pie
auction will be held at
intermission. Saturday, June
8,
9am to 4pm will be the
annual quilt raffle, craft show, and bake
sale.
Speakers
for this year include Bruce Spear as Abe Lincoln,
Joan Day as Virginia
Slade, Eva Sue
Littleton as
Lady Moon, Wayne (Mr. History Ft. Collins) Sundberg, National Freight Wagon & Stagecoach Association, Oregon California Trails Association, American Tapestry Acappella
Choir, Stephen Hyatt ( Civil War expert) Rocky Mountain High School bivouac
re-enactors, Susan &
Duane
Kniebes
(Graves of Virginia Dale) and Dick Hart cowboy
poet.
Local artisans will also offer their talents. There will be
food, games for all ages, animals, spinning demonstrations
by
Esther Nance-
Beck, Kaye Collins and Helen Hart, silent auction, a
General Store and the Model A Ford Club. The club will begin filling its time
capsule with memories.
The Virginia
Dale
Stage Station is located 4 miles
south of the Wyoming border on US Hwy 287. Turn onto County Rd. 43F at the memorial plaque placed by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The Stage Station is
1 mile down the
road.
Visit us on our website
www.virginiadalecommunityclub.org or
call Sylvia
Garafalo 970-495-1828 or Marcie Wells 970-568-7646.
