Finding new life in old things is what the antiques industry has always been about. You’ll even see the fields of science, medicine, farming, automotive, and other areas looking for ways to review and “repurpose” things. It’s just smart business to maximize the effectiveness of what we have on hand.
Likewise, the Old West was full of the repurposing of vehicles, parts, tools, wood, and other gear. Typically, these moments happened out of need and a lack of other immediate resources. We see it in the repair work on freighters, stagecoaches, farm and ranch wagons, and the day-to-day needs of other businesses. These running changes often occurred on things that needed to keep moving and schedules that didn’t have time to wait a week, or a month, for a new part to arrive. It’s a fact of life that necessity will always be the mother of invention and why baling wire can still fix a world of loose, broken, and missing stuff!
Those thoughts bring me to today’s post. Roughly a half dozen years ago, my wife and I had the opportunity to acquire a part of my - and our kids’ - childhoods. If you were around in the 1950s, 60s, or early 70s, you likely remember the popularity of westerns on TV and at the movies. The intrigue with that part of American history is still strong but it was especially dominant when I was growing up. So, it makes sense that we would see elements of that lifestyle being used in a lot of places during those days. One of the areas where cowboy and Native American lifestyles showed up was on playgrounds. To that point, our local school still had some old western-themed pieces in the schoolyard, and they were looking to update the play areas with newer items.
This old stage and the tepee behind it have seen a lot of smiles over the decades.
As part of those efforts, they determined to auction off the older recreation equipment and a number of other school-related items. There were a few pieces that attracted our attention. One was a tepee made of pipe and multi-colored metal panels. The other was a stylized, metal stagecoach with wooden seats and ‘monkey’ bars over the top and ends. Painted and repainted many times, there have been countless school day recesses worn into the character lines and patina of this stylized stage. It’s definitely a relic but it comes from an era where things were built to last; and persevere it has. With hand painted remnants of “Ozark Stage Lines” still visible on both sides of the coach, this reminder of days gone by has been host to thousands of kids as they played, dreamed, and shared moments together.
In this photo, remnants of the words - STAGE LINES - can still be seen under the layers of old paint.
As is typically the case, others were interested in the same items we were, and it took some determination to win the bid for the stage and a few other climbing pieces. We wanted these parts of the past due to our family connections, but it also goes well with the Wheels That Won The West® theme and our collection of wheeled history.
Digging up the stage was a chore. It was heavily concreted into the ground.
Not only did I have my day on this imagination machine, but our girls did and now their kids and others are also experiencing the same momentary escapes. Today, the old stage doesn’t see as much activity as it once did, but it does still inspire smiles while encouraging exercise and dreams. Watching the next generation rediscover the thrill of the outdoors and Old West is equally rewarding.
With a little sweat equity and a fresh load of sand, this old icon is ready for another year of passengers. Hauling school children for sixty years, it’s put in about the same amount of time that stages were at work in the American West. Nonetheless, the tried and true design has even more service to offer and it’s good to see it still on the trail.
FYI... the coach is a fairly simple creation and could be replicated for other yards and playgrounds. If you have some welding and metalworking abilities and are looking for a unique way to intrigue the young and young at heart, this is a great stage to catch. If anyone would like to know the dimensions, I’d be happy to help out.
Ps. 20:7
