A welcome from the creator of 1871: A Time Before
1871: A Time Before.
Where story meets self-discovery.
1871: A Time Before is a story-led experience for anyone who wants to pause, reflect, and rediscover themselves.
Step into SageBrush Crossing and find space to breathe, to explore, and to see life from a new perspective.
Blending fiction, archetypes, and metaphor, this storytelling-led tool is designed for individuals, coaches, teams, educators, and guides seeking deeper insight, connection, and growth.
Across seven companion decks the Founders Collection includes Characters, Animal guides, Locations, Echoes & Artefacts, Moments in Time, Skies & Seasons, & Campfire Conversation prompts - you’re invited into a rich world of reflection.
Choose one to card to guide you, or combine cards in twos, threes, or more to unlock layered perspectives and unexpected truths.
7 Decks - 130 Cards - Millions of possible pathways.
Watch this short video to get a feel for the place
Something for everyone
For Individuals
What if the question you needed came from a forgotten place, a creature in the shadows, or a moment you’d nearly missed?
1871 offers powerful tools for personal growth through narrative, mystery, and meaning-making. Whether you draw a single card or weave together a cast of voices, symbols, and scenes - the reflections are yours to unfold.
Use 1871 to:
- Reflect during times of change, loss, or uncertainty
- Deepen journaling, meditation, or creative writing
- Meet yourself through characters, objects, and whispers from the Old West.
Combine a voice with an artefact. Or a moment in time with an animal guide. The possibilities, and the insights are endless.
For Coaches
Beyond surface-level tools lies a world of story, metaphor, and memory. This is where 1871 lives.
Every card in the 1871 experience opens a new window for exploration. From the archetypal wisdom of animals and guides, to the intimate stories of townsfolk, and the symbolic power of objects and forgotten moments.
Designed for:
- Coaches, therapists & guides
- Narrative, parts-based & trauma-informed work
- Opening and closing reflective space
- Unlocking emotional safety, insight, and embodied wisdom.
Combine decks for:
- Depth coaching
- Somatic awareness
- Reframing past experiences
- Creative storying of identity and change.
For Teams
Real connection is built on shared reflection - not surface-level games.
In a world of rushed workshops and forced icebreakers, 1871 creates a gentler space. A space where reflection is personal, yet collective. Where characters and stories create emotional safety. And where depth arises naturally.
Ideal for:
- Leadership & L&D sessions
- Culture-building workshops
- Reflective practice and relationship building
- DEI, empathy, and story-based connection work.
Multi-deck combinations help teams explore:
- Individual identity and collective dynamics
- Leadership stories and unspoken values
- Decision-making, conflict, and legacy.
There's no right or wrong way to use the cards - Just your way!
About me
Hi there, I'm Steve Nestor.
Professional coach, Learning & Development Consultant, Speaker and Author... and Creator of 1871: A Time Before.
Believer in people, spreader of kindness & inspiration, and a bit of dreamer ( I'm sure I'm not the only one).
Everything I create is designed to spark reflection, deepen conversations, and unlock fresh perspectives, and these cards are no different - whether you’re coaching, writing, teaching, or simply exploring your own story.
© 2025 Steve Nestor | 1871: A Time Before™ |
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Do not copy, reproduce, or distribute without permission.