The Stage Barn was originally located next to the Stage Coach Inn in North Mosquito Gulch below timberline. The exact location is unknown, but they were presumed near the end of the London, South Park & Leadville Railroad tracks. Four stage companies used the Old Stage Road over Mosquito Pass from 1879 to 1890. One of the leading companies was the Spottswood and McClellan Stage Line, which carried as many as 50 passengers each way over the rough and treacherous pass.
The Barn was used as a stable where grain and feed were available for those traveling over the Old Stage road by horseback. However, its primary purpose was to have fresh horses available to replace the weary and hungry teams that pulled the stagecoach. Horses that pulled the stage were made to travel quickly to remain on schedule, requiring frequent changes of horses and drivers. The stagecoach was checked, and minor repairs were made, if necessary, along with checking the team's harness. This small, hand-hewn log building stands today, as it did in the 1870s, a companion to the Stage Coach Inn.
