Butterfield Dragoon Springs Stagecoach Station

The Butterfield Overland Trail is now a recognized and protected national treasure known as the Butterfield National Historic Trail.

 

Credit for the map to the National Parks Service.

Our Dragoon Stagecoach Station

Rich in history, this station is the only station in Arizona to have existing above ground ruins. It is also one of the few along the entire 2,000+ miles of the Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail to have any element still existing above ground. According to the National Park Service and US Forestry Service, the station in Dragoon is the "crown jewel" for this half of the trail. 

The station with shark fin ridge behind it. 

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Overview of the station and Dragoon Pass

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Historical sketch is one of the few images showing the completed Dragoon station which also shows the prominence of "shark fin ridge" as a navigational aid.  Drawing by H.S. Grosvenor, 1860.

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Getting to the station through Dragoon. 

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Where is the station? 

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Drawn to approximate scale so readers can get a sense for station layout. University of Arizona in spring of 2024 did a Lidar exact measurement so that will be the definitive station model. 

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Sign at the parking area to walk up to the station.

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Looking straight down. 

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Scale drawing so readers can get a sense for station layout dimensions as compared to aerial view with the internal fence and flag pole added.  University of Arizona in spring of 2024 did a Lidar exact measurement so that will be the definitive station model accurate to within millimeters. 

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