Until 1867 no stagecoaches , moved across the West Texas Plains.  A few coaches made tracks from San Antonio toward El Paso, but they hugged the Rio Grande much of the way.  Eventually the Butterfield stageline ran through West Texas in 1857 until 1861, but the Civil War shut down this line.  No troops guarded the stages from Indian attack.  Instead the soldiers fought in the Civil War.  Ben Ficklin came to the Concho River area in 1867 about the time that Fort Concho originated.  He had a small stageline that went to nearby towns.  Later he ran more extensive lines to San Antonio and to El Paso.  Local stages continued until 1915 in West Texas.  Stagecoach Lines & Freighters of West Texas has 144 pages with 60 illustrations and photos.