How to Find the Santa Fe Trail at Mahaffie Stagecoach and Farm Historical Site

The Santa Fe Trail was used by Native Americans as a passage way. In the 1820’s, Europeans start using it to travel from what is now Kansas City, Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico for trade and moving manufactured goods.

One of the stops along the way was James and Lucinda Mahaffie farm. In 1857, the Mahaffie’s left Olathe, Kansas as it was becoming a battle zone for per Civil War pro and anti slavery guerillas. But the west was opening up.

They positioned their new homestead a mile out side the local town and next to the Santa Fe Trail and started providing meals to those that were traveling along the trail and became a stagecoach stop.

By 1865, they where able to build the stone house that now stands on the grounds.

Next to the house is buried, Andrew Murkle Mahaffie who died in 1866, at 8 months old. The Mahaffie were very lucky. This would be the only child out of eight that would die before reaching adulthood.

At the farm, the house is fenced in with sheep running around the yard. Keep your young children close to you when you visit because they are not afraid of you at all and don’t forget to close the gate behind you!

The farm also has horses which are some times attached to a stagecoach for visitors.

Chickens!!!!

Bulls!!!

The farm is a working pioneer farm so watch were you step. Animals leave lots of gifts for those that are looking up and not down!

Before checking out the farm, stop at the visitor center and museum for information on the family and to get your wrist bands. Depending on the day, they have lots of activities available for visitors. The cost is only $3 for adults, $2 for children 5-11, and free for those under 4 years old. But check out their website or call before you go to see what activities are available for that day and/or season.

Brief History

The Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm Historic Site was a stop on the Oregon and California Trails plus the Santa Fe Trail. The founders James and Lucinda Mahaffie ran the place from 1857 to 1870 but lived on the farm until 1886.

When the Mahaffie took the stagecoach stop contract, they would serve between 50 to 100 meals a day. The Mahaffie were lucky because they were farmers first and foremost. When the railroad took over from stagecoaches traffic, they did not have many of the issues that other stagecoach stops had.

They would retire from the farm in 1886, moving to town and living together until Lucinda’s death in 1903. James would be buried next to her in 1907.

Books

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I could not find a book on the Mahaffic’s but I did find that great book on the Stage-coach and Tavern Days. It is free for the Kindle and it cost a bit if you want a real copy about $28 to $20. But I also found it at this website for free as well.

The book was written in 1900 and has a lot of interesting information about laws, traveler, history, and a bit more. A Laura Ingalls Wilder just not as popular these days. If nothing else, just looking at the wonderful pictures are worth a bit of your time but mostly just a lot of information given quickly. I don’t have time to read it now but I will be looking back when I do to take a closer viewing of it.