Modern travelers don’t really understand what a journey was like before cars and airplanes made it quick and easy to move around. The human experience has changed so much since the days of stagecoaches that we can’t imagine needing months to cross the country when airlines can get us there in a matter of hours. Days spent in a buggy on a trip my Elantra could finish in hours is unfathomable.
Just inside the Buffalo Bill Center Of The West stands an old sightseeing coach that was once used to give folks tours of Yellowstone. They called it the Yellowstone Observation Wagon. Pulled by a team of four horses, it followed a set route at 6-8 miles per hour. At that pace, the route took about six days. Your car could travel it in four to seven hours, according to their signage.
These coaches fell out of fashion with the rise of the automobile and were deemed unsafe after cars were allowed in Yellowstone in 1915. The horses were afraid of noisy cars so the touring companies closed down the fleet in 1917. Unfortunately, a retired sightseeing coach wasn’t in demand at the time and those that didn’t sell were piled up and burned. This coach at the Buffalo Bill Museum is a rare survivor.
Imagine how dusty and exhausting that trip would be. Plus, you were packed into the wagon with other people including some you might not want falling asleep on your shoulder! There was also a chance that the driver would need you to get out and walk and passengers were asked to not complain if this occurred.
After having spent a lot of time in the car that week, I was conscious of how cushy my ride was compared with what it might have been like in 1915. I need to apologize to my friend for how many times I complained about the journey from Cody to Casper! It could have been worse.
There are lots of grand treasures and tales to be found at the Buffalo Bill Museum. Learn more here and keep coming back for more of these stories.
