The Old Stagecoach Stop – Waynesville, Missouri
The oldest building in Waynesville was scheduled for distruction until a group of citizens decided to form a foundation and save it for posterity.
The Old Stagecoach Stop is open to visitors April through September on Saturdays, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Admission is free.
The building is a two story structure. There are ten rooms, nine restored to various periods in the building’s history (1854-now). A tour with a guide in period costume takes about 45 minutes.
The building is listed on the National Historic Register.
The Old Stagecoach Stop in Waynesville is located on Interstate 44 in the southcentral region of Missouri. The site is also on the original road of Route 66.
Take either Exit 156 from the west or Exit 159 from the east. You will be on Bypass 44 and Historic Route 66. As you enter downtown Waynesville, you will pass the historic courthouse square (Waynesville is the County Seat of Pulaski County). On the east side of the square, in the middle of the block on Linn Street, sits the white two-story Old Stagecoach Stop.
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We moved to the area way back in the late fifties when my father was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood. ( 1957) I stared school on base and when my father retired from the military I went to school in downtown Waynesville. I attended 1st almost thru 6th grade. At that time my older brother was in high school, an older sister was four years ahead of me and a younger sister was 3 yrs behind me. I have to say the essence of my childhood was grounded in the adventures I had in Waynesville while living just between St Roberts and Devil”s Elbow. Penrod”s Trailer Park was home. Swimming in the newly installed swimming pool that Mr. Penrod had built, swinging on the tarzan swing over the ravine in the woods, playing red rover, red rover with all the kids in the park was how we spent our summers. Winter time was skating, sleding, and school. I remember going shopping for dresses with my mother at the department store downtown. Saturdays were a treat when we went to the movies at the downtown theatre to see a double feature and cartoons. At first it cost .10 to get into the movies and then it went up to .25. What a bargain… I have to say I would love to go back to see how things have changed and see if anything has remained the way I remember. Someday I know I’ll return.
The stagecoach stop was the first place my Grandmother arrived with her Mother in 1908. She traveled across the ocean with 3 children, traveled via stagcoach from California (the state) to Waynesville Missouri at the Stagecoach Stop. I recently toured the stop and wished Granny had had the opportunity to walk through it before she passed at the age of 93.