The Stagecoaches of a New Mexico Short-line

By Steve Dobrott.

The story of the famous “Mountain Pride” Concord stagecoach and its infamous co-owner Sadie Orchard, is one of intrigue and often conjecture.  However, if one carefully examines the photographic record the story becomes more clear with each photograph. Although these photos give us only a glimpse of what was once a common sight in the mining towns of Lake Valley, Hillsboro and Kingston, New Mexico, they help clarify misinterpretations or mislabeling of archival photos. 

My inspection of the historic photographs  and documents in the digital archives of the Black Range Museum, reveal the existence of not just one coach, but two distinctly different coaches likely purchased at different times and used for different legs of the Lake Valley Hillsboro and Kingston Stage and Express Line from about 1878 to 1916.

Beginning with the documents that verify the existence of the rolling stock used on this line, it is clear that there was more than one passenger coach employed.  In the earliest known document on record, there is reference to two coaches in 1892.  This document affirms the transfer of real property and assets owned by J. W. Orchard, et al, to William Mathewson, and reads, “With this bill of sale, I hereby transfer the following…One Concord Coach branded “Kingston”, 1 Concord canvas top mud wagon, with red body and green running gear”….

It is reasonable to assume that the first Concord Coach referred to in this document is the Mountain Pride, #560.  According Abbott-Downing order instructions for this coach, “Kingston” was to be painted on the door and “LVH and K Stage Line” was to be labeled on the top rail (Figure 2). This was later changed to “Mountain Pride” and is visible in several photos of this coach.  To the best of our knowledge, the second Concord referred to is suspected to be the Mud Wagon and was likely built by the same company much earlier. Abbot-Downing also made a Light Overland Wagon or “Mud Wagon.”

An excerpt from another conveyance of assets of J.W. Orchard and Sarah Orchard to Fred W. Mister, signed in 1902 reads, “We the undersigned do hereby transfer the following….1 Concord Coach, & 1 jerky or Florida canvas top wagon, & 1 baggage wagon, & 1 old stage coach, & 1 old two horse buggy, & 1 mountain spring wagon, & 1 platform spring wagon…”  The “1 old stage coach” is likely the “Mud Wagon” referred to in the 1892 bill of sale.

If one examines closely the photos on record, one can clearly see the difference between these two coaches.  Photo 1 below shows an Overland Wagon, sometime referred to as a Mud Wagon.  This “coach” has a canvas covered top with straight side panels.  It was a lighter weight vehicle than the Concord coach and likely the preferred vehicle for the rougher portions of the stage line, such as, the Hillsboro to Kingston leg.

We know that the coach #560 was ordered by Charles Gause from the Abbott-Downing Company in 1889.  The Company records of orders confirms this date.  This information is courtesy of carriage authority Kenneth Wheeling, personal communication, 2021.

The “Mud Wagon” was already in use on the line prior to this date and may have also been built by Abbott-Downing, as described as one the two Concord Coaches in 1892 bill of sale.  Abbott-Downing marketed this wagon as Light Overland Wagon.  Other “Mud Wagons” were built by such competing companies as Barlow-Sanders Co.

Not that both coaches were not used for all legs of the line at one time or another.  But it is interesting to note that, so far, we find only photos of the “Mud Wagon” in Kingston (Photo 3) and none of the Mountain Pride.  There are a couple of photos of the Mud Wagon on the flats and at the Lake Valley Train Depot suggesting that both vehicles were used anywhere needed and where likely deployed according to the numbers of passengers anticipated.

Amazingly, the Mountain Pride still exists today thanks to the dedication and foresight of Governor Arthur Seligman, the History Museum of New Mexico and the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs.  The fate of the unnamed Mud Wagon remains unknown.

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