Stagecoach routes through Mecklenburg, 191 years ago

1847 Harper’s cereographic map of the United States and Canada : showing the canals, rail roads, and principal stage routes, on Library of Congress website.

In 1834, Thomas Carbry began a new stagecoach route from Lunenburg Courthouse to Chase City to Boydton. Either his route didn’t exist 13 years later in 1847, or this map maker didn’t know about the route. The stagecoaches also carried mail.

Richmond Enquirer: Richmond, Virginia, Fri, May 24, 1833 · Page 4

Avery & Tompkins had a stagecoach line from Petersburg to Halifax, probably as mapped above.

The route described in the article below was not on the map above.

Above: Richmond Enquirer: Richmond, Virginia, Tue, Jun 24, 1834 · Page 4

Above image shows New stagecoach route June 1834, as described in newspaper article above. It intersects with the Avery & Thompson line in Boydton.

1900 Concord mail coach, University of Southern California

Stagecoaches delivered mail and also carried passengers at this time. The article below shows these two stagecoach lines for passengers were added because Randolph Macon College was in Boydton.

Richmond Times-Dispatch,Richmond, Virginia · Sunday, February 07, 1904

Above, 1903 video of the mail coach fording a river. View on Library of Congress website. The coach is visible at about 50 seconds.

Above, 1903 video of the mail wagon delivering to homes. View on Library of Congress website.

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heading photo credit: US mail coach to New York, PAFA.org, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts