Motoring Monday - Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm



The  Mahaffie stone farmhouse was one of the first stops for travelers on several trails.

Visitors enjoy a stagecoach ride.

The stone farmhouse built by J.B. and Lucinda Mahaffie in 1865 was one of the first stops for westbound travelers using the Westport Route of the Santa Fe, California and Oregon trails. The couple operated a stagecoach stop for the Barlow and Sanderson Stage Line from 1863 to 1869, providing livery service and meals. The Mahaffie’s stayed at the farm until 1886.

The City of Olathe purchased 20 acres of the original farmstead in 1979, and now the Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm Historic Site is the only Santa Fe Trail stagecoach stop that is open to the public. Depending on the day of week and time of year, visitors can ride a real stagecoach, visit the blacksmith, sample something cooked from the wood-burning cookstove or help with the farm chores that revolve with the seasons and include planting, cultivating and harvesting the gardens and fields.



Children play on the 20 acres of open area.

The visitor center features a gift shop along with exhibits and interactive videos telling stories of the Mahaffie family, stagecoach travel, the western trails and the Border War/Civil War era in Kansas.

The Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm is also a certified site on the National Santa Fe Trail by the National Park Service.

Find out more about the location and upcoming activities at www.mahaffie.org