Wyoming Tourism

Beginning in 1876, stagecoaches following the 300-mile Cheyenne-Deadwood Stage Road carried passengers from Cheyenne to the gold fields in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The rich cargo on the coaches became regular targets for thieves and highwaymen. In defense, custom-made stagecoaches were lined with lead and their treasure boxes were bolted to the floor. Men were paid to sit alongside the driver with a shotgun for protection (hence the term “ride shotgun”).

Stories of daring robberies and even more daring escapes on the route are now legend in the West, making this one of the most colorful of all Western historic trails.

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Wyoming Tourism