Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & The Little House Project

Name: Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & The Little House Project
Item: Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm
Author: Kristina Light

by Kristina Light

June 16, 2010

midnight

About The Little House Project: As a child, the very first "chapter books" I read were "The Little House Books." I remember watching the television series and falling in love with the history of pioneers through the Ingalls family. I wanted to share the stories with my own girls (we have three, just like the Ingalls) and I wanted the stories to jump off the pages and capture their imaginations just as they had mine. With Little House on the Prairie: The Musical coming to Starlight Theatre in Kansas City (June 22-27, 2010), I decided it was time to dust off the beloved books and introduce Little House to my girls. The "My First Little House" picture book series was a wonderful introduction for my young girls, and my oldest loves the original chapter books... but each book introduces new vocabulary and concepts unfamiliar to my 21st century kids. As we read about churning butter, trundle beds, covered wagons, ox yokes, and log cabins images of Kansas City's wonderful historic sites and museums came to my mind and thus the idea for The Little House Project was born. My girls and I are embarking on Day Trips in Kansas City exploring what life was like for Laura and her family through the wonderful museums and sites across our metro. This is just the beginning.... we encourage you to read along and journey with us as we escape to the 1800s with the Ingalls for the next six weeks in anticipation of Little House on the Prairie: The Musical in Kansas City! ~ Kristina Light

Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm: Life in the 1800s

The Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm in Olathe offers a wonderful living history of pioneer life. From farming, the blacksmithing, to home life, and of course... Stagecoaches... Mahaffie is a wonderful historic outing to remember life in the 1800s as it was on Little House on the Prairie.

Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop

Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm: 1200 East Kansas City Road Olathe, KS. 913.971.5111

Admission:Admission is $6/adults, $4/children ages 5-11, 4 and under free. NOTE: Free or altered admission offered for special programs. In particular, the site is FREE to the public on Thursday evenings in the summer from 6-8pm, with $1-2 charged for special activities.
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday: 10am-4pm; Sundays: 12pm-4pm; Open Late Thursdays in the Summer 6-8pm (FREE Admission on Thursday evenings)

Special Events at the Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop: "Open Late" on Thursday evenings program... and we WILL be back! All Summer long, Mahaffie is hosting special programs on Thursday evenings from 6-8pm when the farm truly comes to life with hands-on history. Admission to these events is free. Activities include free activities (for example: butter churning, planting seeds, tours of the home) and activities with a small fee (for example: Stagecoach rides, working in the Blacksmith Shop, Grinding Corn). Activities vary with the theme each week.

Our Visit to Mahaffie:

A visit to Mahaffie is always fun, but I strongly recommend visiting during a special event so you can participate in history firsthand for the most memorable experience. We participated in the Farm Life program during a Thursday evening in June, and we plan to return again on upcoming Thursday for more fun... including period Fireworks on the 1st of July!

We began our visit to Mahaffie with a tour of the Mahaffie home. Volunteers in period attire guided us through the house where we learned about the stagecoach stop and the early history of Kansas, and participated in chores with the children as the girls helped churn butter and try on period outfits.

Outside, we were able to visit the Mahaffie garden, pet the animals, and help grind corn and feed the chickens. The children learned about pioneer farming and planted their own sunflowers. Emily's favorite activity was helping with leather work in making a harness for the goats on the farm.

Many of the historic sites we've visited for the Little House Project have included blacksmith shops, but Mahaffie was the first to allow the children to help create their own project! Emily was very proud to make her own S Hook and work with the tools in the Blacksmith shop under close supervision and helpful instruction.

A visit to Mahaffie wouldn't be complete without a Stagecoach ride, the Grande Finale of our trip and highlight for both girls. They were excited to enjoy a summer ride through the farm, where last winter we'd ridden through the snow in a Horse Drawn Sleigh (watch for this opportunity again next winter).

Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop Photo Gallery: You must have a Shockwave Media Player installed to view.

More on The Little House Project

The Little House Project continues through the end of June 2010! We'll be embarking on Day Trips across Kansas City to explore life as Laura lived for the next several weeks. To follow the newest installments subscribe to the KCParent.com eNewsletter!