Restoring An Overland Stage Station

 

We recently received a press release from the Virginia Dale Community Club located near the Wyoming state line in north central Colorado. The group is restoring a rare, surviving stage coach station and they have an Open House fund raiser coming up in June. Below is more information on their activities.

 

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.

California Coaches & Wagons

I recently had the honor and privilege of speaking to a great group of folks in Santa Ynez, California.  My presentations were part of a western vehicle symposium hosted by one of the premier wagon and stage coach museums in the country – the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum, www.santaynezmuseum.org

During the event, I was able to share a great deal of original imagery and information from our Wheels That Won The West® archives focusing on the early wagon industry, including specific design and identification elements as well as rare discoveries and other investigative details.  Another of my presentations focused on the huge, tall-sided western freighters that helped build so much of the western frontier. 
 

Other speakers included Allan Peterson of Wells Fargo Historical Services, Doug Hansen of Hansen Wheel and Wagon Shop, Ken Wheeling – associate editor of The Carriage Journal, Bobby Tanner covering the legendary 20 Mule Team and Borax wagons, Champion Para-Equestrian driver, Diane Kastama, and Graham Goodfield of Los Padres Outfitters demonstrating camp cooking techniques.  Below is a snapshot of the speakers.

Attendees of the 4-day conference came from as far away as Canada and the east coast of the U.S.  While the bulk of the program took place at the museum, the first day included a tour of the Santa Barbara Carriage Museum along with a trip over the legendary stagecoach road and stage stop at San Marcos Pass.  Wells Fargo and other participants punctuated the final day of the “Spirit of the West” event with vehicle rides and public demonstrations at a nearby ranch.  Surrounded by rare, horse-drawn vehicles dating to periods as early as the 1860’s, the event garnered attention from regional and national media as well as the motion picture industry.

Congratulations to the great folks at the Santa Ynez Historical Museum for an outstanding event, rich with information, entertainment, camaraderie and opportunities to better understand America’s first and largest transportation industry. 

Traveling from the beaches to the desert and numerous places in between, we covered a lot of ground in a short time on the west coast.  As a result, we’ll be sharing even more vehicle profiles from this trip in the weeks to come.

Lamons Wagon For Sale

We’ve written a few brief overviews on Lamons wagons in the past.  The company was located in Greenville, Tennessee and survived almost a century before its assets were auctioned off in 1961.  We were recently contacted and asked if we might let folks know about a wood-wheeled, Lamons wagon available for purchase.  Below are a few photos that were shared with us.  If you’re interested, feel free to call these folks at 865-712-4243.  They’re located in Tennessee.