Point of Rocks Stage Station, Wyoming
- The Senders
- Nov 2, 2019
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 18, 2022
1863
It's hard to tell how many days you've been traveling, hard to tell how long it's been since your last stop. At first, you were excited to travel, you've been wanting to see new things and meet new people. Your world was so much bigger than where you came from and you were more than ready to see it. You didn't expect to be cramped inside a rickety stagecoach with father and four other people barely speaking to each other. You attempt to make conversation with the other family but they aren't as willing as you'd hoped. Perhaps where they came from, mannerisms such as friendly conversation weren't taught. Perhaps they were just shy. From what you could gather by appearances, there was a mother and a father, a young girl and a boy that seemed to be about your age. He was quite handsome, with dark hair and light blue eyes. You could feel him gaze up at you every now and then. If you tried to speak with him, father would surely stop you before you could finish a sentence. Instead, you settle on attempting to speak with the little girl but she won't even answer when you ask her name. You offer her a ribbon as a peace offering, she smiles as she takes it. You notice a smile grow on the boy's face, too, and that makes you swell inside.
The coach begins to slow and you glance out the window, thankful to have the opportunity to get out and stretch for a moment. With father busy, maybe you can even say hello to the boy, maybe even learn his name.
You come to a sudden halt and hear a man talking with the Whip. You can't make out their words but feel a sense of dread in the pit of your stomach. You look up at father and see concern spread across his face.
"Stay close, Sarah, and do as I say."
You nod at him, scooting back into your seat, trying to steady your breath. Father makes eye contact with the man sitting across from him and he tells his family to do the same. Both men are at the edge of their seats, surveying surroundings outside of the coach. You feel the Whip and the Conductor step down from the box with a great shake and hear footsteps approaching your side of the coach. You recognize this to be the Conductor, an older gentleman of short stature that helps tend to the passengers.
"Ladies and gents, I'll be needing you to step out of the carriage. Nice and easy now, wouldn't want any accidents."
His voice was different, not kind and helpful as when you first stepped on but now dark and ill-meaning. He smiled as he opened the door and tears begin to well up in your eyes. You know what's happening, you feel a sense of dread deep within you.
Typically, the women step out first but you feel father's hand on your shoulder. He shakes his head at you, letting you know to let him go. Father steps out first and then the other man, followed by the boy. You see them stop in their tracks and slowly raise their hands in the air.
You don't know what to do, you want to run to father's side but you know it could put him at greater risk. What did they want? We have money but not much. We have mother's jewelry, it's all she left us with. You'll gladly give it to save your father. You begin to take off your earrings and the pearl necklace around your neck. You lock eyes with the woman in the coach, she's crying and sees you taking off your jewelry. She looks down at her wedding ring and begins to slip it off...
BANG!
You both gasp and look over the men. Your eyes are blurry with tears but see father and the boy still standing. The woman begins to scream and the little girl cries out. You see father crying and shaking his head. He starts speaking, attempting to bargain with the unknown shooter.
BANG!
Your heart stops, you forget to breath. You don't even move.
This isn't happening.
The boy takes off running.
BANG!
The woman and the girl are screaming. They attempt to run from the carriage.
BANG! BANG!
This isn't happening.
This isn't happening.
You can't move.
You hear footsteps coming toward the coach, more than one set. You hear them on your left side. You slowly slide off your seat and out the open coach door on the opposite side. Blinking through tears, you slowly step toward the horses.
"There's one more. She's hiding in there."
A barrage of bullets sprays the inside of the coach and you take off running for station. You feel a sharp sting hit your back and drop to your knees. You scream out in pain but know you must keep running. You stand up and with all your strength, run to the station.
"Help! Help me!" You cry out for anyone to save you. You make it to one of the already open and doors and step inside. There's no one here. It's empty.
Everything goes black and you feel yourself hit the ground with a loud THUD. You cough as dirt flies up, the dust visible in the sunlight streaming in. You hear your heart pounding. Fast at first, then slower and slower until you hear nothing. You see nothing. You feel nothing.
2019
The remains of Point of Rocks stage station lie about 25 miles northeast of present-day Rock Springs, Wyoming. The station was once a stage stop on the Overland Stage Trail, a place where travelers could stay as well as water and rest their horses. The main building, restored and mostly intact, served throughout the years as a freight station, store, school, ranch headquarters and home. Just a few yards from the building stands what remains of the stable, not much more than fallen exterior walls.
The Point of Rocks stage station (also known as Almond stage station) includes a small cemetery, home to the remains of seven unlucky passengers, victims of the infamous outlaw Jack Slade.
October 5th, 2019
We were returning from a weekend trip to Rock Springs and although we had discussed visiting some known historic and haunted sites in the area, we found ourselves out of time before we had a chance to do so. As we passed by the interstate sign for Point of Rocks, I suddenly remembered seeing the town on several of the areas haunted lists. I made a quick decision to take the exit and attempt to find the location of the stagecoach trail ruins.
Point of Rocks Stage Station is, in fact, very visible from the interstate and just a stone's throw from the Union Pacific Railroad line. Standing on the site, it makes sense why it would be a great place for a station. Shielded by a mountainside to help protect from elements yet in a position high enough to foresee an impending attack, the station also sits near water, making it ideal grounds for a trail stop. The site is free to visitors and easily accessible from a dirt side road.
We pulled over directly in front of the gated entrance, gathered our equipment and headed onto the property on foot. We decided to go to the stables (we didn't know they were stables at the time) as they were the most visually intriguing structure on the property. Not surprising, little-to-no activity was found here. We received some reaction from the pendulum but nothing significant. I certainly did not sense or feel anything particularly supernatural in the remains.
We changed direction and headed toward the main structure. This building, although small, was quite impressive in it's preservation. All walls remain intact and appear unaffected by the elements. I first approached the south wall and my photographer went around to the north, snapping photos as she went.
The following video link is to an audio account and collection of images from the investigation....
I started to head for the stables, looking all around for my photographer. I called out her name several times, getting louder each time to the point of yelling. Receiving no answer from her, I decided to search the outside of the structure. I barely made it around the first corner when we met, only a few yards from where I stood, yelling for her. She claims to not have heard me at all. Maybe the wind gusts had drowned out my calls? Maybe something or someone was preventing us from communicating.
This, along with several other occurrences were certainly worth noting. The deathly cold stare from the first room (1:05 in the video), the freezing cold, moss-covered corner where all wind and sounds had completely gone and with only evidence of wildlife (10:20 in the video) all leave a lasting and quite chilling impression.
With as much activity as we'd gotten at the main structure, we had hoped to find something more at the stables, Although it looked promising, we found virtually no activity there. Perhaps when the stables were in use they simply served a place of daily workings and nothing more.
One thing is for sure though, of the many places I've visited, this has been one of the most surprising and unnerving sites. Historically significant yet rarely visited, I think this is precisely what allows the energies to remain as strong as they are, forever trapped yet forever peaceful.
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