The Botsford Inn, Farmington, Michigan, circa 1900

In the 1800s, long-distance travelers often rode public coaches "in stages," jostling along rough country roads with mail, freight, and other passengers. Every few hours, the coach would stop to change horses. This tavern and meeting place on Michigan's Grand River plank road catered to coach traffic, serving as a stagecoach stop and providing meals and lodging to weary travelers.