Butterfield Overland Mail Stage Stand -- I-10 west of Fort Stockton, TX - Wagon Roads and Trails on Waymarking.com

This marker is located about 8 miles west of Fort Stockton along the eastbound frontage road along the I-10. There really is no convenient on-and-off way to get this marker.

From Fort Stockton heading west, take Exit 248, the US 67 South exit to Alpine, and cross over the 10 freeway and come back east about 3 miles to the marker. To get back into the I-10 (without going off road) you will have to go all the way back to the official cross over at mile marker 254.

Don't anybody say we didn't warn you! :)

The marker reads as follows:

"Pioneer Stagecoach Stand Operators Mr. and Mrs. Isaac J. Rude

On way to California from Tennessee in the 1850's, Isaac J. and Sarah Isabella Rude settled in West Texas. In Davis Mountains, Rude built and operated a station for the Butterfield Overland Stage; here passengers had meals while mules were unharnessed and exchanged for a fresh team. Soon Butterfield--the pioneer passenger and mail service (1858-1861) from St. Louis to California --had Rude move here to Ft. Stockton and build another stand. In 1859, when a stop was added at Leon water hole, 5 miles west of Ft. Stockton, Rude built and ran the stand there. Food there was best on the route, said a journalist.

Sarah Rude (1834-1916) carried a pistol under her apron, to protect her children. When Indians attacked the Davis Mountains stand, the men loaded guns and handed them to Mrs. Rude -- a calm, sure marksman. Just over 5 ft. tall, she butchered and skinned beeves to feed her family, when her husband was away.

After stages stopped operating in 1861, Isaac Rude, like others associated with the Overland Mail, joined the Confederate Army. Later he became a prosperous businessman in McKinney. Born in 1829, he died in 1902. (1967)"

Road of Trail Name: Butterfield Overland mail State: Texas County: Pecos Historical Significance: An early stagecoach mail route from MO/AR/TN/TX west to California Years in use: 1857-1861 How you discovered it: Reading historic markers and visiting historic sites in this part of West Texas Book on Wagon Road or Trial: The Texas Frontier and the Butterfield Overland Mail, 1858–1861 by Glen Sample Ely Website Explination: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfield_Overland_Mail_in_Texas Why?: Butterfield Overland mail route was and important mail link between St Louis MO/Memphis TN and San Francisco CA Directions: This marker is located between two access road overpasses at MM 428 and MM 254 along the I-10.

Visit Instructions:
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Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   01/19/2017 Benchmark Blasterz visited it