From the 1950s through the early 1980s, Shakopee residents and visitors could explore a unique historical attraction at the city’s eastern border: the StageCoach Museum. Created by Osborne “Ozzie” Klevestad and his wife Maria, the museum began when the couple discovered the original stagecoach stop, known in the mid-1800s as the Gellenbeck Stage Stop or the Four Mile House.
The couple purchased the property after stumbling upon it during a rainstorm, and Ozzie used it to showcase his extensive gun collection, which grew to over 3,000 guns. Notable pieces in the Stagecoach Museum collection included: Šakpe II’s four-barreled revolving rifle, Buffalo Bill Cody’s rifle, Annie Oakley’s gun, Calamity Jane’s revolver & many more famous and exemplary guns from history.
Opening in March 1952, the museum included the Klevestad family’s living quarters and the StageCoach Restaurant. Over time, it expanded to feature the Bella Union Opera House, which hosted summer plays by University of Minnesota students, and Sand Burr Gulch, a recreated old western town.
Ozzie and Maria operated the complex until their retirement in 1981, selling the property to Cal and Cheryl Hotzler. Unfortunately, interest waned, and a fire in 1983 destroyed the Bella Union Opera House. Financial struggles led to the remaining buildings being dismantled or burned by local fire departments.
By 1996, the widening of Highway 101 resulted in most of the site being demolished. Only the original StageCoach Museum building remains, now owned and occupied by Dahlen Sign Co. wich you can visit on Stagecoach road..
In the 21st century, the StageCoach Museum is being revived by a dedicated Shakopee husband-and-wife team, with strong support from local residents. Inspired by the legacy of Osborne “Ozzie” Klevestad and his wife Maria, this reimagined museum honors their passion for history while expanding its focus to celebrate western and frontier heritage and the enduring impact of the American West in 20th-century media.
The museum will feature authentic frontier artifacts, cinematic memorabilia from iconic western films and TV shows, and interactive exhibits that bring the spirit of the Old West to life. Local residents have contributed time, resources, and heirlooms, showing their deep commitment to preserving this important piece of Shakopee’s history.
With its reopening, the StageCoach Museum will become a vibrant cultural hub, celebrating the stories of pioneers and the Wild West while inspiring future generations to explore both historical and pop-cultural legacies of the western frontier.