America’s first transportation industry was so large, it’s difficult to comprehend today. Tens of thousands of makers promoted a seemingly endless array of vehicle sizes, styles, plans, and purposes. How did each survive? What was competition like? Which companies were dominant? What set the brands apart? To what lengths was competition taken? From the board rooms to backroads, how did these dramas play out? Have any of the companies survived? What legacy did any of them leave?
With more questions than answers, we’ve just begun to uncover the nation-building intrigue of these rolling works of art. Ultimately, each of the brands are stories loaded with even more stories. So much so, that a full account may never be told. Nonetheless, every account helps us more fully appreciate the triumphs and tragedies of individual and corporate dreams. So, climb aboard with us as we share the little known legacies of wooden wheels and the American West.
