From 1896 until 1915 a stagecoach ran from Monticello to Burnside, Kentucky. The improvement of roads in Wayne County provided an excellent opportunity for an enterprising businessman to begin a means of transportation that would allow the general public to travel in comfort! A route between Monticello and Burnside made it possible for the citizens of Wayne county to connect with the railroad station in Burnside and would insure improved delivery of the United States mail.
One of the earliest stagecoach services was operated by J.W. Hall and Son. In 1884, they advertised: “Monticello and Burnside Mail Stage Line leaves Monticello daily at 6 a.m. and arrives at Burnside at 11 a.m. Return: Leaves Burnside at 1:30 p.m. and arrives at Monticello at 7 p.m.”
Mack Burton ran the stage line for a few years after the Hall’s ceased their involvement in the service. In 1896, Charles Burton took over the operation of the stagecoach.
The Monticello-Burnside stagecoach served the people of Wayne and surrounding counties for many years. In November 1915, the stage made its final run. John Burton, son of Charles, kept the stage in a “museum” until his death in 1973.
A replica of the Burton Stage is now housed in the Wayne County Museum
An unfortunate turn of events resulted in the original Monticello-Burnside stagecoach being sold to the Wells Fargo Bank of California. In 1978, the stagecoach left Kentucky and has been housed in Los Angeles since then.
A sense of history led some interested individuals to have a reproduction of the stagecoach built. First Southern Bancorp, Inc. and Jess Correll have graciously made the reproduction available to the William Crenshaw Kennedy, Jr. Memorial Museum to be placed on permanent display.
The stagecoach will allow the people of Monticello and Wayne County to better appreciate their tremendous historical heritage.