Description:
A granite marker 32″w x 60″h with a concrete base, guarded by pipe posts and rails. Situated at the Colorado-Wyoming border on U.S. 287. It faces west.
How to get there:
Take US-287 west from Fort Collins about 40 miles to the Colorado/Wyoming state line. The marker is on the right (east) side of the road.
Inscription:
THIS STONE MARKS THE PLACE WHERE THE OVERLAND STAGE LINE ON ITS WAY TO THE WEST, JUNE 1862 – 1868 CROSSED THE COLORADO-WYOMING BOUNDARY LINE. ERECTED BY THE STATE OF WYOMING AND CHAPTERS OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION: CACHE LA POUDRE, FORT COLLINS, COLORADO. THE CENTENNIAL, GREELEY, COLORADO. THE JACQUES LARAMIE, LARAMIE, WYOMING. JULY 4, 1917.
History:
A branch of the Overland Stage Line (later called the Holladay Overland Mail and Express Company) ran from Denver to Salt Lake City and the West via Laporte, Virginia Dale, North Platte, Bridger’s Pass, and Fort Bridger. From Laporte it followed closely the present-day US-287.
In the mid-1860’s, the line, which was owned by Ben Holladay at that time, was a vast empire operating 3145 miles of stagecoach and freight lines and boasting 15,000 employees, 20,000 wagons and 150,000 draft animals.
In 1866 Holladay sold out to Wells, Fargo. The coming of the railroad signaled the doom of stage travel, and the branch was abandoned in 1868.
