If you like horses then you would have loved getting around back in the day. That is, until the steam powered engine came along.
However, prior to ingenuity and modernized ways of travel, in the 1800-1900’s people needed a way in which they could travel. The best way for this was a stagecoach. 

What is a stagecoach

A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. A fact I found very interesting about stagecoaches is that not only would they be on a constant schedule of transportation to people in the country, but they would run on a normal schedule just as a bus would do today in modern times. Also, just as a car would need a change of tires, staging stations would have fresh horses that would be swapped out to keep the stagecoaches moving. On average, a stagecoach would travel about 5 miles per hour and covered roughly a distance of 60-70 miles. However, with modifications being made, some stagecoaches were able to reach speeds of up to 10 miles per hour. Over the course of time, these stagecoaches really made a mark in the U.S. and some of them became very famous as well. That is why it is so fascinating that Pioneer Village has so many on display for viewers to really take a glimpse at and get an idea of what it would be like to travel in such a vehicle. 

Conestoga

One of the most famous wagon/ stagecoaches was known as the Conestoga wagon. From 1820-1840, the Conestoga Wagon was at its peak usage. The wagon was used mainly in the state of Pennsylvania and neighboring states such as Maryland, Ohio, and Virginia. However, that is just where the Conestoga was most prominent; the stagecoach was all over Canada as well as the U.S. There is a  misconception that the Conestoga was very useful for the Westward migration. What people don’t realize, however, is that the Conestoga was a heavier wagon and was not very useful for long treks. 

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo is on the opposite side of the U.S. and was very prominent in the western hemisphere. It is also equally, if not more so, famous than the Conestoga. Movies have been made of this stagecoach and it is a very important piece of U.S. civilization of the past.

The Wells Fargo was used heavily more towards California to haul gold and precious metals at the time of the goldrush. According to the Western Historical Quarterly, in March 1854 alone, $2,618,404 worth of gold dust was brought into San Francisco using these stagecoaches. Due to how much value was being hauled by the Wells Fargos, they became a very enticing target for robbers back in the day. You know how it goes; we have all seen the movies of the wild wild west and the stickups that settlers would encounter. Well, this is the reasoning behind that. 

Thinking of transportation now, it is so impressive and overlooked how travel has changed. With these facts in mind and even if you are fond of horses, would you still be into the stagecoach life now?

Harold Warp Pioneer Village is the place to visit to learn all about history! All the way from campgrounds encompassed by nature to buildings and artifacts that are decorated with history in and of themselves. Pioneer Village is a fantastic place to take a quick look into the past. 

Let’s start off with a little background. Pioneer Village was established in 1953 and has been steadfast in enabling people to take a deep dive into the past accompanying 20 acres of land with over 50,000 historical artifacts and 28 buildings that enable visitors to get a feeling of older times. These artifacts and buildings are not just interesting to look at and explore, but all have a backstory that will help tell a story to the tourists. 

One of the buildings that Pioneer Village has to offer is the Lowell depot. According to the attractions section on the Pioneer Village website, “The Lowell depot was around from 1872 to 1882, during homesteading days, this was the western terminus of the B & M Railroad. Two early-day locomotives and a narrow-gauge caboose are displayed in front of the depot. During restoration seven worn out floors were discovered, each on top of the other, in the depot.” These floors had been worn out due to the fact that back in the day people would constantly commute through this part of the town and over years of wear and tear from the foot traffic, the floors began to wear out. Imagine putting yourself in the shoes of the people from the past. Getting to and from destinations was not as easy as it is today, therefore, people would ride the train. Everyday people would show up to the Lowell depot and wait patiently for their morning train to arrive. People rode two large locomotives every day. Back then people would arrive at the depot with the day’s newspaper in one hand and briefcase in the other and would prepare for a long day’s work. While people that occupied the village would tend to their shops or blacksmithing stations or maybe just out in the fields chopping trees down for logs, people from all over would come to the depot each and every day and get to be around the great town that is pioneer village. With that, people that would come to the village that had some time before they had to catch their train could go and see all of the wonderful shops that the village had to offer. Back in those times it was always very important to be clean cut and shaved so one may want to go visit the barber quick just to spruce up a bit. But that’s not all that people could do. The options were endless. Visiting the Lowell depot is a once in a lifetime experience!