I have always been interested in Concord Coaches, long considered to be the best stagecoaches ever built. I certainly am not an expert, but I have done some reading and have been fortunate enough to see several of these beautiful stagecoaches in various museums. A few weeks ago I interviewed Tom Howard, who IS an expert on Concord Coaches. You can watch and listen to that interview at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2009/05/video-interview-tom-howard-and-the-concord-coaches.html.
You can imagine my surprise today when I walked into a small, privately-owned museum about ten miles from my house and found a Concord Coach on display. This is a real Concord Coach, manufactured circa 1867. This one is not an immaculate museum display piece; it was a bit dirty and had grease smeared all over the axles. The upholstery is just a bit frayed. This is a working coach that is brought out several times a year to participate in parades and other events in the area. Even more interesting to me is that this particular Concord Coach is on loan from the Wayside Inn, a historic restaurant that is about five miles from my home. I never knew there was a Concord Coach in this area!
I snapped a few pictures and have posted them here. You can double-click on any of the pictures to see a larger image.
This particular coach was manufactured in 1867 by the Abbot-Downing Coach Company and was used to haul passengers, mail, and small freight items in this area. For a while, it was used on the Marlborough to Worcester run along the Boston Post Road. I live a couple of hundred yards from that road today, so this coach obviously passed near my home many times. (The house I live in wasn't built until many years later.) The coach remained in service until 1912.
In the 1920s, the coach was purchased by Henry Ford and used as the stagecoach to carry passengers, transporting guests of the Wayside Inn, located in Sudbury, Massachusetts, to and from the railroad station. This is the same Wayside Inn that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow popularized when he published his book of poetry, entitled Tales of a Wayside Inn, in 1863. Longfellow visited the Wayside Inn in 1862, when it was called the Howe Tavern. That same book also was the first publication of Longfellow's “The Landlord's Tale,” which contains the immortal words, "Listen my children and you shall hear/ of the midnight ride of Paul Revere."
Henry Ford was the last private owner of the Wayside Inn, and he purchased three different Concord Coaches for use at the Inn. One of the coaches was later sold to Concord Group Insurance Company, where it is now on display at the company's headquarters in Concord, New Hampshire, only a short distance from the place it was manufactured. That was the first Concord Coach I ever saw as I have visited the Concord Group Insurance offices many times.
The second coach still remains at the Wayside Inn except when it is on loan and is the one I saw today. I have not yet discovered the fate of the third Concord Coach purchased by Henry Ford for use at the Wayside Inn.
Ford ran the Wayside Inn for a few years and then established the non-profit institution that still operates the Inn and associated museum, watermill, and archives today. The Concord Coach shown in these pictures remains at the Inn except for occasions such as the one I visited today, when it is loaned out.
Did you check the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit?
Posted by: Karen | June 21, 2009 at 12:18 AM
The Henry Ford Museum DOES have a Concord Coach. You can see a picture of it at http://www.travelphotobase.com/s/CACWC.HTM
However, I have not yet determined if this coach came from the Wayside Inn or not.
- Dick Eastman
Posted by: Dick Eastman | June 21, 2009 at 12:45 AM
The archives at the Benson Ford Research Center, adjacent to the Museum, contain information regarding items in the collection. You might be able to contact them with questions. http://www.hfmgv.org/research/index.aspx .
Posted by: GrannyPam | June 21, 2009 at 05:59 AM
My gggrandfather Gorham Crosby and his B in L John Freeman Cornish ran two stagecoaches (one each way) from Sandwich to Hyannis for years. As I understand they were Concord Coaches. They were eventually sold. Try Henry Fords Greenfield Village in Deerborn, Michigan.
Bebe
Posted by: Bebe Brovk | June 21, 2009 at 09:16 AM
Dick
I work at Compass Inn Museum in Laughlintown, PA as a docent and part of the barn tour is to describe travel in a Stagecoach in the early 1899's. Go to www.compassinn.com and enter the museaum section. We have an Original Concord Stagecouch as a display. You will also see a Connestoga Wagon and that is me standing beside the wagon. Both are very old. The Conestoga Wagon was built in 1800 and was used to haul whiskey and other goods from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg. We are not sure of the date of the Stagecoach but it is probably mid 1800's. It was used by the Overland Stagecoach company. If you click on the pictures a large high quality picture will download. The inn has been completely restored to it's original condition and sits on Rte 30 about 56 miles east of Pittsburgh. I to an very interested in that part of our history. My 4 Great Grandfather was a Conestoga wagon driver helping to supply the British troops in the French and indian War. He carried goods to Fort Ligonier to support the march on Fort Pitt. He saw land in the area and was given a grant for his support work and moved back to Ligonier in 1761. I also had a 2 great grandfather who was a Conextoga wagon driver in the mid 1800's in the Ligonier PA area. We have a lot of stories about stagecoach travel and it is really interesting.
Posted by: Ron Nicely | June 21, 2009 at 09:29 AM
I found this all quite interesting as I work in Lexington -- and
have a great-grandfather who repaired stagecoaches in Lowell, MA circa 1880. But I wonder: Does this privately owned museum allow guests? This coach is beautiful and being local - I'd love to see it. The tie in with both Henry Ford and Longfellow is extra frosting!
Posted by: Paula McCarron | June 21, 2009 at 10:13 AM
---> Does this privately owned museum allow guests?
The museum I visited yesterday is the Collings Foundation in Acton, Massachusetts. I have been there several times. It is privately owned and is only open to the public three times a year. (I think it is three times.) The first public display for this year is this weekend. I was there yesterday and the Foundation is also open today (June 21). If you miss today's opening, the same museum will be open for the "Race of the Century" on August 22 and 23 and also for a "World War II Reenactment" on October 10 and 11.
The Collings Foundation features a fascinating collection of aircraft, automobiles, and antique farm machinery. Most of the items on display are used frequently. Almost all the airplanes are in flying condition and are flown regularly, including B-17 and B-24 bombers from World War II, an F4D Phantom (jet) and TA-4J Skyhawk (jet) fighters from the Viet Nam war, Al Capone's 1940 Cadillac Limousine V-16, the one he owned when he was sent to jail. (The Cadillac has never been restored as there is no need to, it looks gorgeous as it is.), a 1906 Pope Waverly Electric Carriage automobile, a 1916 Stanley Steamer Mountain Wagon, 1914 Stutz Bearcat, and more. They also have a huge steam tractor but I have never seen that one in operation.
Other aircraft include a 1909 Bleriot XI, Fokker DR-1 Triplane (like the Red Baron flew), Boeing PT-17 Stearman, North American AT-6 Texan, Grumman TBM Avenger, Fiesler FI-156 Storch, Cessna UC-78 Bobcat, Chance-Vought F4U-5NL Corsair, Douglas A-26C Invader, North American B-25J Mitchell, Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star, Bell UH-IE "Huey," Douglas TA-4JF, and a Grumman S2-F Tracker.
The Concord Coach that I wrote about does NOT stay there but was on loan this weekend from the owners in Sudbury.
This is no ordinary museum as it is all housed at a private residence in Acton. This residence even includes a grass-covered runway in the back yard big enough for the B-17 and B-24 to take off and land. The F4D Phantom and TA-4J Skyhawk, however, are kept elsewhere as the grass runway in Acton is too short for those jet fighters.
You can read more at http://www.collingsfoundation.org
- Dick Eastman
Posted by: Dick Eastman | June 21, 2009 at 10:47 AM
For anyone coming to the SCGS Jamboree later this week, there is also a Concord Coach at the Autry Center (formerly the Gene Autry Museum or the Autry Museum of Western Heritage and a number of other names...), which is only about 7 miles from the conference site.
http://www.autrynationalcenter.org
Posted by: Marie | June 21, 2009 at 03:57 PM
Is the missing coach the one located at the New Hampshire State Historical Society in Concord? They have a coach. I am not sure about the history of that one.
Posted by: Hattie | June 21, 2009 at 05:17 PM
Are you referring to the Concord Coach at the Museum of New Hampshire History at Eagle Square in Concord, N.H? If so, that is not the one from the Wayside Inn. The coach at the Museum of New Hampshire History was originally on display at the Boston & Maine Railroad Station in Concord, New Hampshire, then was later donated to the Museum of New Hampshire History.
- Dick Eastman
Posted by: Dick Eastman | June 21, 2009 at 07:29 PM
Dick,
There are 3 stagecoaches that I know of in Central MA - located in Sudbury/Stow, Barre and Sturbridge. You have covered the Wayside Inn coach well. The town of Barre Historical Society has a formerly locally run Concord Coach (think early Greyhound) in original condition that is housed in it's own building in the center of town. Current efforts are focused on restoration/preservation of the coach as they are able to raise funds so I would imagine it can be viewed at certain times. The 3rd coach is a professionally built replica of a Concord Coach that is being used at Old Sturbridge Village to give visitors the thrill of a yesteryear type ride. Check their website for schedule.
Having seen each of these 3 coaches, I can say they are most very definately worth viewing as are the venues where they are housed.
Karen B.
Posted by: Karen Baldwin | July 09, 2009 at 10:23 PM
Thanks for writing. I have seen the replica coach at Sturbridge Village and have some pictures of that one. I haven't yet seen the one in Barre.
I have also seen several original Concord Coaches in New Hampshire and, a couple of weeks ago, one in Los Angeles at the Museum of the American West in Griffith Park.
- Dick Eastman
Posted by: Dick Eastman | July 09, 2009 at 11:09 PM
Sandwich, N.H. owns a Concord coach. It is maintained and housed by the Sandwich (NH) Historical Society. This Concord coach, drawn by two horses, is entered in the Sandwich (NH) Fair parade every October.
Posted by: Joan Beach Little | July 11, 2009 at 09:25 PM