The Botsford Inn, Farmington, Michigan, circa 1900
THF126122 / The Botsford Inn, Farmington, Michigan, circa 1900 / detail
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Artifact Overview
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.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Photographic print
Subject Date
circa 1900
Collection Title
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Object ID
84.1.1660.P.O.5584
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Material
Paper (Fiber product)
Technique
Gelatin silver process
Color
Black-and-white (Colors)
Dimensions
Height: 1.75 in
Width: 2.5 in
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Related Content
SetRoadside Taverns
- 10 Artifacts
Stage wagons were light and open, though not as comfortable as later Concord stagecoaches. They could go about five miles per hour, barring bad weather or road obstructions. The gaily painted signboards of roadside taverns beckoned weary travelers, promising rest, meals, and a chance to catch up on news. Stage wagon drivers used the stop to care for their horses.