02.03.09
Posted in Farm Wagons at 12:39 pm by Administrator
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
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01.25.09
Posted in Farm Wagons at 2:37 pm by Administrator
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
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