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History buffs re-creating Wagon Train experience |
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Thursday, 02 September 2010 14:49 |
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A group of history buffs is re-creating an experience most of us have never had: traveling a long distance at the speed of a horse's walk. They've been out on the prairies for the past two weeks, reliving life on the old Miles City to Deadwood trail.
Black Hills Fox Reporter Al Van Zee has the story. One hundred twenty years ago, the old Miles City to Deadwood stage route used to take many of the travelers and much of the freight in and out of the Black Hills. It was a vital part of the development of the Black Hills and the surrounding area. The coming of the railroad and the automobile ended the old stage routes. But now, over eighty people are re-sampling that experience by once again taking the route of the old stage route the same way it was traveled over one hundred years ago. The Historic Miles City to Deadwood Trail Ride began on August 20th. And today, the wagon train pulled into The Forks; an old stage stop west of Belle Fourche where the stagecoaches used to change horses and refresh the passengers. The organizers say the wagon train is following the old stage route as closely as possible. Doc Curtis says, "As best we can reproduce it. Of course there's been changes with civilization and what not, but the research crew did a very, very good job of re-tracing it." The travelers are recreating the experience as closely as possible. Some are sleeping in campers being brought up along the route. But some are doing it the way the teamsters often did it back in 1895. Doc Curtis says, "I usually sleep here in the wagon or else out on the ground." The entire route from Miles City to Deadwood using the stage route is just as hair over two hundred miles. So far, the wagon train has covered about two thirds of that, at times through some of the prettiest frontier country you can find anywhere in the west. The wagon train will arrive at the Western Heritage Center in Spearfish tomorrow, and hopes to arrive at the Rodeo Grounds in Deadwood, its final destination, on Saturday. There'll be a parade down Deadwood's Main Street on three o'clock in the afternoon. Al Van Zee, Black Hills Fox News. |
