wheelsthatwonthewest.com Blog

California Staging

Administrator — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:48:54 +0000

I recently returned from a western vehicle “symposium” in Santa Ynez, California. What a trip! It was a 4 day event with hundreds of attendees. Representatives from Wells Fargo as well as the National Stagecoach & Freight Wagon Association, numerous museums, vehicle conservators, historians and western vehicle enthusiasts were out in force.

One of the greatest opportunities of the event was the chance to study original western stagecoaches up close. Some of America’s greatest stories and history rests on the wheels of the vehicles at Santa Ynez’s “Parks-Janeway Carriage House” as well as the “Carriage & Western Art Museum” in Santa Barbara, CA. Each location has original stages built by the legendary M.P. Henderson of Stockton, Abbot-Downing of Concord, N.H. and others. These aren’t the stripped-down, non-authentic, cheap woodworks of Hollywood, but the real deal. Many of them are in the same condition as when parked after their last trip more than a century ago. I’ll be posting photos and stories later on the “Wheels” site.

We also had the pleasure of retracing part of an old stage run – including the stage station! Just south of Santa Ynez on Hwy 154 are the remains of a steep and narrow mountain road that was once part of a vital stage connection. While the trail is now paved, the steep terrain, sheer drops and small amount of road carved out of and hugging the mountainside are constant reminders of the challenges of early travel in the West. Cold Springs Tavern – the old stage stop – is still in operation with great food and an abundance of 1800’s period atmosphere.

If you get a chance to travel west to California, don’t pass up the chance to see these museums (and others) as well as the beautiful coastal and mountain scenery. More information on the museums can be obtained by visiting www.carriagemuseum.org (Santa Barbara) or www.santaynezmuseum.org
From historic vehicles and early photos to period saddles, western ranch gear and other memorabelia, these should be on the must-see list for any Old West fanatic.

David
“Wheels That Won The West” Publishing
www.wheelsthatwonthewest.com

Springfield Wagon Discovery

Administrator — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:39:59 +0000

The Ozark hills here in Arkansas are always full of surprises. We recently experienced a crippling ice storm that left us without power or modern conveniences for nearly a week. Even so, we’re among the most fortunate to now have water, heat, etc. as many of our neighbors and friends will not have electricity for weeks yet to come – a similar fate being experienced by folks in Kentucky.

As I’ve been reminded from this ice storm, the unexpected can happen at any time. It’s a fact that’s continually reinforced as we add materials to our “Wheels That Won The West” historic vehicle archives. With so many American wagon makers in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the depth of the study can be dizzying, but also extremely interesting as there is always something new to experience. One good example came about totally unexpectedly when a few months ago a friend mentioned he had some wagon skeins he wanted me to examine. They were a pair of Springfield Wagon skeins that were likely never used. Cast into the shoulders of the parts was the name – Springfield. Even though I’ve studied numerous Springfield brand wagons and even own several, I’ve never seen that feature before and wondered if anyone else has?

Drop me a line in the ‘comments’ section about this post. Better yet, gather up your aquaintances and friends and let them know about this blog. We won’t be able to cover everything, but I’m looking forward to sharing more of what’s happening at the “Wheels That Won The West” archives.

David
www.wheelsthatwonthewest.com

Identifying Vintage Farm Wagons

Administrator — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 20:37:53 +0000

Welcome to this new section of the Wheels That Won The West® website. While most articles on our site are more lengthy and detailed, we’re starting this blog as a way for western and historic vehicle enthusiasts to stay in closer contact with us while also providing a way for us to share more of what’s happening in our world.

Of all the questions we receive, the most common deal with identification of vintage wagons. The identity of an old wagon can be important for a number of reasons including sentimental, historical and resale values. However, with tens of thousands of makers in business during the 1800’s and early 1900’s, determining a maker can be a daunting task and one that shouldn’t be approached casually. Many makers had similar features and even with some markings still visible, it’s easy to jump to the wrong conclusions. That said, we’ve been successful in determining the manufacturers of numerous wagons with no brand or maker names readily visible… several well in excess of a century in age (see “Arabia’s Buried Treasure” and also the “Ticket to Tomorrow” stories in the archives of the “Featured Vehicle” section on our www.wheelsthatwonthewest.com site.) So there’s always room for hope.

Since we receive so many questions along this line, I’ve written an introductory article for “Farm Collector” magazine that is scheduled to publish in their April issue. While no single article can contain enough details for every wagon to be positively identified, this article is full of material that has never been published. We’re hopeful it will be of help to many folks, but continue to invite your comments and questions. We’re look forward to hearing from you and wish you the best in all your historic vehicle interests.

David Sneed,
Wheels That Won The West® Publishing & Archives