The Virginia Dale Community Club celebrates the completion of the Stage Station’s restoration.

Marcie Wells

The Virginia Dale Community Club’s 22nd Annual Open House and Western Festival will be held on June 8th & 9th, 2018. This year will be the dedication and celebration of the completion of the Stage Station’s restoration.

5 years of intense fundraising by club members and other friends has resulted in this dream come true for the Virginia Dale community. Now 156 years old, the Stage Station was built by the famous Jack Slade and is a designated National Historic Site. It was a Home Station (meals and overnight lodging) for the Overland Stage Line and has been in continual use by the Virginia Dale ranching residents, their families and friends as their Community Center.

Each year the Virginia Dale Community Club, whose members own the Stage Station and the adjoining Hurzeler House, have an Open House to celebrate the Stage Station’s historical significance, the rural way of life and to raise funds for the continued maintenance of the Stage Station so that many more future generations can enjoy its unique heritage.

There is no admission fee, but a donation of work gloves or canned goods for Harvest Farm in Wellington would be greatly appreciated.

The local popular band “Barely Gettin’ By” will kickoff the weekend with a Western Dance from 7 -11 PM on Friday June 8th at the Stage Stationwith an old-fashioned pie auction at intermission. Admission charge for the dance is $10 per person, kids under 12 are free.

The Open House will be on Saturday June 9 from 9AM-4PM. The dedication and recognition of the people & organizations who made the restoration possible will be at 1 PM. Special honorees will be: Robert Gregory, the Virginia Dale Questers, Richard Gutkowski, Paul Matosky and the Whitmire Ranch.

There will be an Artisan’s show, music, entertainment, a bake sale and more. There will be old-fashioned kids’ games. Tickets will be on sale for the club’s December Quilt & Rifle Raffle. The quilt and the Henry Silver Eagle.22 gauge rifle will be on display. Tickets for the raffles are also available by calling 970-495-1828.

Lunch will be served from 11AM-2 PM. Please be aware that The Club and many of the vendors do not have the equipment to process credit cards. Cash and checks are accepted.

The Virginia Dale Stage Station is located 4 miles south of the Wyoming border just off US Hwy 287. Turn onto County Rd. 43F at the stone pillared Memorial Plaque. Turn left at the “Y” in the road. The Stage Station is one mile down the road.

Limited Handicapped parking will be available Visit us on our website www.virginiadalecommunityclub.org,or call Sylvia Garofalo 970-495-1828 or Marcie Wells 970-568-7646 for more information.