Bismarck to Deadwood Stage Trail
After the Custer expedition discovered gold in the Black Hills in 1874, Bismarck merchants wanted a route for shipping goods and for transporting gold seekers to the hills. In late 1876 after a treaty opened the Black Hills to Euro-Americans, the Dakota Territorial legislature quickly authorized construction of a road from Bismarck to Deadwood. In 1877 the Northern Pacific Railway Company and the Minnesota State Company formed the Northwest Express and Transportation Company to open a 240-mile trail to Deadwood. The route was 242 miles with seventeen stations. Two of the stations, one 75 miles and the other 150 miles from Bismarck were designated as "home stations". The home stations had better facilities than the other stops along the route.
The first stagecoaches left Bismarck on April 11, 1877, with sixty-eight passengers. Regular tri-weekly stages began May 2, 1877, and soon they were running daily. A one way fare was $23.00 and took about 36 hours. The company operated twenty-six Concord coaches and freight wagons pulled by 200 teams of horses. In addition to the freight and passenger revenue, the stage company was awarded an annual mail contract. The company erected an elaborate headquarters building in Bismarck at Main and Ninth Street and employed 175 men.