Places in Time: The Stagecoach Inn

Editor’s note: This blog is part of a video series by the City of Round Rock to highlight impactful locations in the City’s history.

Along Brushy Creek in Round Rock sits an unassuming limestone building with a rich history that once hosted a “who’s who” of the Wild West.

Constructed between 1848 and 1853 by John J. and Susie Anna Harris, the Stagecoach Inn is one of the three oldest surviving buildings in Round Rock. Originally built on the Old Military Road, which later became part of the famous Chisholm Trail, the limestone used in its construction was quarried from the slope below.

In its heyday, the Stagecoach Inn was a bustling center for travelers and locals alike. It served as a rest stop for weary stagecoach passengers, offering them a place to eat and rest. For stagecoach drivers, it was a crucial point to change horse teams. The Inn also played a significant role in the community’s social life, acting as a local post office where residents received mail and packages. The arrival of the stagecoach, signaled by the honking of the Harris’ geese, would draw townspeople to the Inn.

The Inn hosted a range of notable figures, from Texas Rangers and cattlemen to famous con artists. It even provided shelter to infamous outlaws like John Wesley Hardin and Sam Bass. However, the construction of the railroad and the shift of business to Round Rock’s current Downtown transitioned the Inn’s role from a stagecoach stop to other uses, including a tavern, a private home, and later a restaurant.

In 2018, the Inn was relocated from its original location along RM 620 to a new site along Brushy Creek on Chisholm Trail due to the RM 620 improvements project.

“First, we (the City) bought the Stagecoach Inn and it was bought as part of right-of-way acquisition so it wasn’t going to be able to stay where it was,” said Kerstin Harding Planner with the City of Round Rock. “The City funded the move to the other side of the creek. Moving a non-reinforced, load-bearing masonry building that’s 175 years old is a little delicate.”

The 100-ton limestone structure’s relocation was a significant undertaking that included stabilizing the building, relocating it, and repairing the stonework of the building.

Now sitting along Brushy Creek, the Stagecoach Inn continues to be a living piece of Round Rock’s rich history.

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Source: City of Round Rock