Stage Coaches and Conestoga Wagons in Front of an Inn (Photograph of a Drawing), circa 1840

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. Inns served as popular stagecoach stops where weary travelers could find meals, lodging, and conversation. This illustration depicts a variety of traffic at the Fairview Inn near Baltimore, Maryland.