The Stage
See below for details
The Nine Mile Gap
When our cover reached Indian Creek, UT it reached the last point that mail was carried by the Union Pacific, from there it was transferred to a Wells Fargo Stagecoach which carried it to Corinne, UT.
Indian Creek
Indian Creek (Kelton), 1869
The town of Indian Creek was erected by the Union Pacific on April 12th 1869, just a month before our cover arrived there. The town was later renamed Kelton in December 10, 1869 when it acquired a post office.
Indian Creek. A Wells Fargo stagecoach and the office
Soon after its founding Wells Fargo established a post there, serving not only Corinne, but most importantly the Boise ID and MT gold fields.
As a side note the ID, MT route was the most robbed stage coach route in history.
Indian Creek (Kelton), 1969
Kelton was a wild west town, it has hotels, saloons and gambling parlors. It also became a section station on the railroad. Until 1884 the town thrived until Wells Fargo shut shop, due to competition from new railroads serving their MT and ID markets. Then in 1903 the railroad built a loop that chopped off Kelton and then in 1942 all the rails were pulled up. Not much is left but a few crumbling buildings and foundations.
Monument Point
On the way to Monument Point
Our cover would have travelled 69 miles on the Stage Coach to Monument Point. This would have been a days ride, Monument point was at the top of the steep grade and is where the railhead stood for most of April 1869. A camp, mostly full of Chinese labourers was to be found here. This is where the stagecoach stopped for the night.
One of the last wagon trains to Oregon at Monument Point, May 10th, 1869, meets the train on its was to complete the first transcontinental railroad.
Corinne
Corinne 1869
After overnighting at Monument Point our cover would have continued on the last 42 miles of it's journey to Corinne, the first station on the Central Pacific portion of the railroad.
Corinne 1869
Like Indian Creek, the town has been founded to house the railroad workers. It was founded two weeks before Indian Creek, on March 25, 1869. Being the only non-Mormon town in Utah it had fifteen saloons and sixteen liquor stores. Our stagecoach driver would have probably got drunk and had a good time here.
Corinne 1869
Corinne almost suffered the same fate as Indian Creek. The Mormon built a railroad line that negated the need for a station at Corinne. Thus doing away with their rogue town. The traders upped sticks and moved to Ogden, UT. Thereafter it remained a quiet backwater and today boasts a population of just over 800.
Corinne 2023
The Nine Mile Gap Cover
