The stagecoach crossed the ferry at Burnside on its daily run. A photo gallery of the stagecoach will be added soon.

Stagecoaches, as a form of commercial travel, were introduced into the south side of the Cumberland region during the latter half of the 19th century, and appeared about the time the first railroad reached Somerset and Burnside in the early 1880s. Taking advantage of an improved road that had been built from Monticello to Burnside, the coaches helped cover the demand for transportation and timely delivery of mail to and from the Burnside railroad station.

There were three coaches used along the route. One of the earliest drivers was Larkin Edge, who was employed by J.W. Hall & Son. In 1884-85, their advertisement appeared in the local weekly newspaper, The Monticello Signal.

Monticello & Burnside Mail Stage Line
Stage leaves Monticello daily at 6 a.m. and arrives at Burnside at 11 a.m., returning, leaves Burnside at 1:30 p.m. and arrives at Monticello at 7 p.m.

After the Halls, Mack Burton operated the stage line for a few years, with Charles Burton taking over in 1896. The first run under his management was made on July 1 of that year. He purchased the third and last coach to run on the route in 1898. It is the one appearing in many old photos, and it still exists. It is on display in a California bank.

The trip was long and sometimes difficult. It often took between four and five hours to make the journey, depending on weather and the condition of the road. Besides several toll gates on the improved pike, there was a stop at a rest station near the community of Frazer, about 11 miles east of Monticello and halfway of the trip. There, horses were exchanged for fresh ones. Several other stops were made at post offices along the route.

John Hockersmith, in the September 1969 Kentucky Happy Hunting Ground magazine, wrote an article detailing the trip:

The stage met the train at the Burnside depot in Pulaski County. There were only five miles of route in this county, but this was the most hazardous part of the trip. After paying the $1.50 fare, the passengers and the mail were loaded onto the coach. There was room for nine passengers inside and approximately five on top, plus the driver. Baggage was carried on the rear of the coach, covered by a huge oiled leather flap. Glassless windows allowed the passengers a view of the countryside. In case of rain, oiled leather flaps were rolled from the tops of the windows and fastened at the bottom, keeping the occupants snug and dry.

With a snap of his whip, the driver (usually Charles Burton or his aide John Huffman) started the four horses – or mules – forward. Carefully, he drove down the steep hill to the Cumberland River, then drove onto a ferry which carried them across. Under 2,300 pounds of burden, the horse pulled upward from the river and headed westward toward Monticello. Atop the hill the road leveled off, but curved for the remainder of the journey.

Approximately four hours later, having reached its destination, the stage jolted to a halt. It is said that a group of boys usually gathered around asking the driver, in sincere admiration, questions concerning the trip. To be a stage driver required men with great physical strength and a so-called devil-may-care attitude which was very appealing to youngsters of the time.

Often the 20 miles between the two towns seemed like a hundred. Rains swelled the river, creating a hazardous ferry crossing and the dusty roads turned to mud, slowing the stage to almost a crawl. Winter meant cold traveling, deep snow and slick roads. It is recorded that during one hard winter, the river froze solid, immobilizing the ferry. But with a strong feeling that "the mail must go through," the driver daringly and successfully drove across the ice and on to Monticello."

On the pike, tolls were paid to the road's stockholding company, which was 55 cents for each five miles of travel.