1995 Excavations at the Havana Stage Station, 14OS1301
Date: 1995
Shown are eleven images taken during the excavation at the Havana Stage Station in Osage County during the Kansas Archeology Training Program field school in 1995. The Havana Stage Station was built along the Santa Fe trail in 1858 and by the early 1870s had ceased to function as station and became part of the outbuildings of a farm. Shown is a view of the former station taken in the 1950s, a sketch of the site in 1995, a sketch of the station ruins in 1995, five views of the station's foundations and walls, two views of mapping and recordkeeping, and the nearby stone corral.

Albert R. Greene to Franklin G. Adams
Creator: Greene, A.R.
Date: August 18, 1897
In this letter to Franklin G. Adams, Albert R. Greene explains that he recently met with Charles C. Haynes, with whom he discussed the waning days of the Overland Stage. Greene explains that Haynes was old but that his eye was as "keen as when he ran the gauntlet of hostile Indians and brought his coach into the home station bristling with arrows."

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe No.3 at Burlingame, Kansas
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: 1899
This photograph shows the Santa Fe No. 3, west-bound California Limited at the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway depot in Burlingame, Kansas. In the foreground a horse-drawn stagecoach is visible.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway locomotive #18 with stagecoach
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: Between 1954 and 1961
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company's steam locomotive #18 with a stagecoach racing along the side.

Beads from the Mahaffie Farmstead and Stagecoach Stop
Date: 1858-1886
These two beads were recovered at excavations in 1988 during a joint venture between Kansas Historical Society archeologists, Kansas Anthropological Association volunteers, and the City of Olathe. Both beads are oblong and red, but the darker red bead may be manufactured of wood, while the brighter red bead may be of glass. It is difficult to tell the materials without harming the bead. The site consisted of the residence and out buildings built by James and Lucinda Mahaffie in 1858. The farmstead later served as a stagecoach stop on the Santa Fe trail.

Beer Bottle from the Mahaffie Farmstead and Stagecoach Stop, 14JO356
Date: 1858-1886
This brown glass bottle has the typical neck of a beer bottle, but is much shortened in the body. The bottle has what is called a blob style finish at the rim. It was recovered during excavations in 1988 during a joint venture between Kansas Historical Society archeologists, Kansas Anthropological Association volunteers, and the City of Olathe. The site, 14JO356, consisted of the residence and out buildings built by James and Lucinda Mahaffie in 1858. The farmstead later served as a stagecoach stop on the Santa Fe trail.

Bottle from the McGee/Harris Stage Station, 14OS399
Date: 1821-1970
This small clear glass bottle was recovered at the McGee/Harris Stage Station site in Osage County. The bottle has a reinforced finish and was closed with a cork or stopper. The site was the focus of a 1995 Kansas Archeology Training Program event with Kansas Historical Society archeologists and volunteers from the Kansas Anthropological Association.

Brass Bracelet from the Mahaffie Farmstead and Stagecoach Stop, 14JO356
Date: 1858-1886
The brass fragments shown here came from a single bracelet that was recovered during excavations in 1988 during a joint venture between Kansas Historical Society archeologists, Kansas Anthropological Association volunteers, and the City of Olathe. There are very few hints of the delicate bracelet's former shine. The Mahaffie Farmstead and Stagecoach Stop was the residence and out buildings of James and Lucinda Mahaffie, built in 1858. The farmstead later served as a stagecoach stop on the Santa Fe trail.

Butterfield's Overland mail coach starting out from Atchison, Kansas
Creator: Harpers Weekly
Date: January 27, 1866
A drawing of a Butterfield Overland mail coach copied from Harper's Weekly, January 27, 1866.

Charles Curtis, Pawnee, Oklahoma
Creator: Merryman Studio, Pawnee, Oklahoma
Date: September 29, 1928
This black and white photograph shows U.S. Senator Charles Curtis, standing before "The Pawnee Bill" stage coach at the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot at Pawnee, Oklahoma. In the background a crowd has gathered to meet the Kansas senator.

Commercial street, Oswego, Kansas
Date: 1875
This black and white photograph shows the west side of Commercial Street in Oswego, Kansas. The store fronts with their wooden frames were destroyed by a fire in 1884 and later replaced by masonry buildings. In the foreground Jabez Zink and his team of horse are visible. He settled in 1865 on Labette Creek and eventually became the mayor of Oswego. There is also a stage coach that operated from Oswego to Independence and Coffeyville.

Dishes from the Mahaffie Farmstead and Stagecoach Stop, 14JO356
Date: 1858-1886
These three dish sherds, all with a different floral patterns, were among many recovered during excavations in 1988 at a joint venture between Kansas Historical Society archeologists, Kansas Anthropological Association volunteers, and the City of Olathe. The site consisted of the residence and out buildings built by James and Lucinda Mahaffie in 1858. The farmstead later served as a stagecoach stop on the Santa Fe trail.

Dugout belonging to Luther Kreigh, Stanton County, Kansas
Date: Between 1960 and 1965
This dugout was located on the homestead of Luther Kreigh, on the west side of present-day Highway 27, seven miles north of Johnson City, Stanton County, Kansas. Luther Kreigh ran the stage line and mail hack between Syracuse and Richfield and this dugout served as a stage stop on that line. The stage changed teams here and a post office located in the building was called on the maps "Liverpool."

Eldridge House, Lawrence, Kansas. 323 miles west of St. Louis, Mo.
Creator: Gardner, Alexander, 1821-1882
Date: 1867
This stereograph shows the Eldridge House located on Massachusetts Street, Lawrence, Kansas. In front of the Eldridge House is a Rail Road Line horse-drawn omnibus. It is from Alexander Gardner's series, Across the Continent on the Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division.

Ellen Douglas Denison Goodnow to Harriet Goodnow
Creator: Goodnow, Ellen Denison (Mrs. Isaac T.)
Date: July 21, 1855
Ellen Goodnow, recently arrived at her homestead near Manhattan, Kansas Territory, wrote to her sister-in-law Harriet Goodnow in New England, regarding her trip West and her impressions of Kansas Territory. Ellen described her journey in a detailed but concise manner, and, in her first impressions, likened Kansas to "another garden of Eden. . .too good for bondage, or for the oppressor's rod [references to slavery]." A devout Christian woman, she also expressed her opinion that Satan held influence over the Missourians. Despite this ominous presence, Ellen still tried to convince Harriet to join them in the Territory.

Fort Wallace Historical Museum, Wallace, Wallace County, Kansas
Date: 1963
A view of the Fort Wallace Historical Museum and the restored stage station building next to it, near Wallace, Wallace County, Kansas.

Harness Hardware from the Havana Stage Station, 14OS1301
Date: 1858-1880
These harness buckles and clip fragment were recovered from the Havana Stage Station site along the Santa Fe trail in Osage County. The buckles and clips attach harness straps, collars, and other pieces of horse-drawn equipment. The Havana Stage Station was built in 1858 and was used as a farmstead after the station was closed. The site was a focus of the Kansas Archeology Training Program field school in 1995.

Hiram Hill to brother
Creator: Hill, Hiram, 1804-
Date: December 9, 1855
Hiram Hill wrote from Weston, Massachusetts to his brother, describing his stagecoach journey from Richmond. Although 47 miles from Lawrence, he had not received a trustworthy update concerning the Wakarusa War. Hill mentioned Thomas W. Barber's murder, numbers of men and weapons involved in the war, and his plans to briefly visit Lawrence. He vowed never to travel to Kansas Territory in winter again. Hill also showed concern for Russell, who tended his cattle in Williamsburgh, Massachusetts.

Hiram Hill to Dear Wife
Creator: Hill, Hiram, 1804-
Date: December 8, 1855 - December 9, 1855
Hiram Hill wrote from Westport, Missouri to his wife as he received new information concerning the Wakarusa War at Lawrence. Hill was frustrated by these reports, which conflicted and were from the proslavery perspective, and which concerned the number of free state and proslavery soldiers, the status of the war, and government action taken to prevent conflict. Hill was also troubled by shameless "traveling and drinking and swearing" and gunshots on the Sabbath. The last page of the letter expresses his relief at news of peace in Lawrence, where he would learn "the other syde of the story" upon arrival. The murder of Thomas W. Barber, who rode outside Lawrence and was shot by a proslavery supporter on December 6th, was mentioned. Hill also described an eventful stagecoach journey.

Ho! For Kansas! Eldridge Brothers' Express & Daily Post Coach Line
Creator: Eldridge Brothers' Express & Daily Post Coach Line
This printed notice for the Eldridge Brothers' coach line advertised the fare to Lawrence as $3.50. The coach line had routes from Kansas City to Lecompton, Lawrence to Osawatomie, and Lawrence to Leavenworth City. The notice includes information about the coaches, food, and changes of horses.

Horseshoe from the Havana Stage Station, 14OS1301
Date: 1858-1880
This horseshoe was recovered from the Havana Stage Station site along the Santa Fe trail in Osage County. This horseshoe style is called "regular" and is what was used on most horses to support the hoof. It is complete with a groove, called fullers, that allow for the nail to be driven into the hoof. Two horseshoe nail fragments are present. The Havana Stage Station was built in 1858 and was used as a farmstead after the station was closed. The site was a focus of the Kansas Archeology Training Program field school in 1995.

James Tarr's blacksmith Shop, Fredonia, Wilson County, Kansas
Date: 1898
This photograph shows the exterior of James Tarr's "Plow Work and General Blacksmithing" shop at the corner of 6th and Jefferson streets in Fredonia, Wilson County, Kansas. The building also bears a sign for H. J. Wood and an ad for Catlin's Meerschaum chewing tobacco. There are a number of men standing outside and two horse drawn wagons.

John James Ingalls to Elias T. Ingalls
Creator: Ingalls, John James, 1833-1900
Date: December 2, 1858
Ingalls opened this letter with comments on the weather ("the fine days are so beautiful as to compensate for a large amount of ambiguous weather"), problems with shipping freight, and mention of various items of clothing he had received from the family, but he gave considerable attention to the city of Atchison, its newspaper (Freedom's Champion) and its growth. Sumner compared favorably, as to future prospects, in Ingalls's estimation, with the location of future railroads the key to success. He also encouraged his father to make a spring visit so he could assess for himself "the opportunities for business and the prospects of progress" in this "most important party of the continent."

John James Ingalls to Elias T. Ingalls
Creator: Ingalls, John James, 1833-1900
Date: January 2, 1859
From Lawrence, K.T., where he went to lobby the territorial legislature on behalf of Sumner's city charter and a "Pikes Peak Express Company," John J. Ingalls wrote to tell his father about the journey that took him through Leavenworth. He made some interesting observations about the condition of the roads and the general discomfort involved in overland travel ("The coaches are constructed with special reference to safety in passing over corduroy roads, through sloughs and ravines, having no regard whatever to the comfort of the passengers."), as well as nice descriptions of both cities, Leavenworth and Lawrence.

Kinley and Lannan Carriage Works, Topeka, Kansas
Date: Between 1880 and 1890
A photograph showing five men outside of the Kinley and Lannan Carriage Works, located at 424-426 Jackson, Topeka, Kansas. Visible is a carriage and stagecoach.