Horrors Of Stage Station Grub

A hefty price for food prepared in less-than-sanitary conditions.

- Sherry Monahan

By the 1850s, gold rush fever inspired more and more pioneers to board concord coaches and make their way West. The stagecoach held nine comfortably, but many more often crowded themselves on rooftop benches that jostled and swayed over rough terrain.

The only breaks the travelers received were at “swing” or “home” stations along the cross-country routes, which included the famous Butterfield Overland. Swing stations offered nothing more than a building with a stock tender to assist with horse changes, while home stations were private homes where owners served meals. The stations typically sat about 25 to 50 miles apart along the routes.