In recognition of the 100th anniversary of Arizona achieving statehood in 2012, Valley Metro in Phoenix released its 2012 Commemorative Arizona Centennial Transit Pass this month at an event at Central Station featuring cowboys on horseback.

Before buses and light rail came to Phoenix, area residents rode horses and walked to get to their destinations. The city’s first public transit service, mule-drawn streetcars, entered service in 1887.

As a reminder of days gone by, actors in Old West costumes—and a horse, Concho—greeted passengers and local media and distributed 500 keepsake commemorative all-day transit passes good for fares on both Valley Metro buses and METRO light rail.

“While offering a modern, multimodal transit system in 2012 to serve the valley, we have a rich transit history that dates back to the late 1800s with horse-pulled coaches,” said METRO Chief Executive Officer Steve Banta. “During this time of Arizona’s centennial, we are paying respect to our history and providing a commemorative keepsake that we hope our riders enjoy.”

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Costumed members of the Arizona Gunfighters acting troupe meet the public and the press outside Central Station in Phoenix, where they distributed keepsake commemorative transit passes.