The Past
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~ Enderby
~ Grindrod
~ Hupel
~ ~ John Dale
~ ~ Men At Hupel
~ ~ Hupel Stage
~ ~ Hupel
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Mabel Lake
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Transportation
Mike Hupel
opened the Hupel Stage Line in September, 1910. It was the first stage over the Mabel Lake
route, running from Enderby to Hupel.
The Hupel Stage would leave Hupel at 9 a.m. on Friday morning, stay
overnight, and leave Enderby for Hupel at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The fare was $2.
The Hupel Stage line ran for 50 years. It carried the mail, picked up groceries for the
settlers, and brought in passengers. The stage began as a horse and wagon, evolved to a
model T Ford truck, and in later years was a 6 passenger truck. It stopped running on Feb.
28, 1953.
According to the Enderby Commoner, "...many exciting tales are told of the
horse-operated stage of Sir
James Baird. Friday morning at Hupel saw four broncs hitched to the loaded stage wagon
with a lumberjack or bystander hanging to each bronc's head. With everything in readiness,
and Sir James in the driver's seat with the ribbons in his hands and foot on the brake, he
would shout "All Clear" and everyone would jump clear, the broncs would be off
at a gallp in a cloud of dust. In Enderby Saturday morning for the return trip, a round of
drinks at the old King Edward bar would suppluy volunteers for the takeoff and the
passengers would hold onto their hats as the Enderby bridge resounded to the thunder of
hoofs." (March 13, 1953)
Mike Hupel, Sir James Baird, John Dale, and Bill Petch operated the stage in the early years. Henry Torrent, Sam Barton and Joe Kass successively ran the stage line from 1924 to 1935, when the last operator, Russell Large took it over until the end.
Jean Fitzgerald
ALF School, 1989