about Our Region’s stagecoaches

Stagecoaches played a crucial role in the transportation history of Washington State, bridging the gap between remote settlements and growing towns in the late 19th century. Many of these sturdy, well-crafted vehicles, originally designed by the Abbot-Downing Company in Concord, New Hampshire, became the backbone of early travel in the Pacific Northwest. The Concord style coach is distinct, with an enclosed, rounded passenger cabin suspended on roughly 300 feet of leather straps known as “thoroughbraces.” Thoroughbraces allow the coach body to float freely, absorbing bumps in the road. Concord coaches were designed for comfort and featured plush interiors and elaborate detail. The photo above, provided courtesy of Bygone Walla Walla, depicts a Concord coach in front of the Dacres Hotel (then called Hotel Stine) in 1873 at 4th and Main in Walla Walla.

Mud wagons were another type of stagecoach used in the Walla Walla area. Mud wagons differed in that their cabins were open rather than enclosed, they were less elaborate, lighter and capable of rough mountain terrain. One original mud wagon is on display at the Fort Walla Walla Museum and another is owned by the Walla Walla County Fairgrounds.

Early Days of Stagecoach Travel in Washington Territory
Before railroads connected Washington’s cities, stagecoaches were the primary means of long-distance overland travel. In the 1860s and 1870s, as settlers moved into the region, stage lines began forming to connect mining camps, logging towns, and agricultural settlements.

The earliest route serving Walla Walla began in the 1859. It connected Walla Walla, then the largest town in the territory, to Wallula on the Columbia River, where travelers could continue their journey by steamboat. This line played a key role in transporting mail, passengers, and goods across Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Key stagecoach routes in the area
As Washington’s population grew, so did the stagecoach routes. From the 1860’s through the 1880’s, stagecoaches were seen across the area:

• The Dalles Military Road, used for military and stagecoach purposes.

• The Thomas-Ruckle Road, built over the Blue Mountains by Walla Walla businessmen George Thomas and Colonel Ruckel to divert the mining supply business from Umatilla Landing on the Columbia River to Wallula and Walla Walla.

• The Nez Perce Trail, used by the Nez Perce tribe for thousands of years, eventually became an important link between Walla Walla, Waitsburg, Dayton, Pomeroy and Clarkston as a stage road.

• The Naches Trail, a northbound stage road which started at Walla Walla, crossed the Columbia at Wallula, winding through the Horse Heaven Hills to Prosser and following the Yakima Valley up to the confluence of the Yakima and Naches Rivers.

• The Snoqualmie Pass Route, linked Seattle to the Yakima Valley.

• The Overland Mail Route, which carried mail and passengers between Olympia and Portland.

Stagecoach operators faced harsh conditions, from steep mountain passes to muddy roads and swollen rivers. Winter travel was particularly treacherous, with deep snow in the Cascades often delaying journeys.

Competition with the Railroad
By the 1880s and 1890s, the rise of the Northern Pacific Railroad and other rail lines began to diminish the need for long-distance stagecoach travel. Towns that had once relied on the Concord stagecoaches now had rail depots, making stage routes obsolete. However, in more remote areas, stagecoaches continued operating into the early 20th century, particularly for mail delivery and short-distance travel.

Legacy of the Stagecoach in Washington
The legacy of the stagecoaches remain alive in Washington’s history. Some original coaches can still be seen in museums, such as the Yakima Valley Museum, the Northwest Carriage Museum in Raymond, and Fort Walla Walla Museum.

Today, Walla Walla Coach Company strives to bring history to life in an exciting and unforgettable way, with our authentic, Concord style stagecoach.