History. Some might say it’s a thing of the past and not pertinent today. Thoughts like that, though, refuse to recognize how yesterday continually influences today. Time and again, old ideas are made new. We see it in the way so many parts of antique wagon designs were transferred into the age of the automobile. For instance, have you ever wondered where the practice of putting the selling dealer name on a car or truck began? How about the hinged tail gate, twin axle steering, sliding van door, RV and camper designs, food trucks, bead locks on wheels, multi-purpose truck beds, dump beds, road graders, utility trailers, coiled and leaf spring suspensions, or even automated brakes. Yep, you can thank the horse-drawn vehicle trade for initiating all of those concepts – and a lot more that’s still utilized by the auto industry. In addition to those ideas are brand names and even vehicle types that are typically associated with automobiles but once were known exclusively within the horse-drawn world. Below are a few names that owe their beginnings to a time when wheels were wood, tires were steel, and horsepower wasn’t surrounded by a metal frame...
Brougham – Cadillac, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Ford, Nissan, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Mercury, Dodge, American Motors, and more have all emblazoned cars with the name of ‘Brougham.’ The beginnings of the term, though, start much earlier than these twentieth-century examples. The origin can be traced to around 1838 when England’s Lord Brougham had a carriag built for himself that design quickly became known as a ‘Brougham.’
California – You might (or might not) remember the Ferrari California, a high performance supercar produced from 2008 through 2014. Before this set of wheels was turning heads on the streets, the ‘California’ name was used to let folks know that vehicles, parts, and even blacksmith shops with this particular label were set apart. From tire rivets to brakes and seat risers to bed styles on nineteenth-century wagons, this name was typically attached to vehicles and parts that demanded extreme performance, durability, and reliability.
Champion – One of the most well-known uses of the Champion badge in early autos is from the legendary Studebaker car company. In actuality ‘Champion’ was a name used on a number of nineteenth century products. Among those in the transportation sector was the Champion wagon originally made by the firm of Gere, Truman, Platt & Company. During the 1880’s, the business was among the largest in Owego, New York, making Champion-branded farm wagons, grain and fertilizer drills, and other farm equipment. With roots to 1866, this enterprise was also the first to use independent steering of the front wagon wheels which was adopted by the early automobile industry.
James Mills of Wilmington, Delaware also built a wide variety of wagons under the 'Champion' nameplate.
Concord – Well before the AMC Concord, Chrysler Concorde, or even the Concord Jet, the Concord name was being heavily touted by wagon, stage, and buggy makers as the epitome of luxury, reliable design, and premium construction. The legendary firm of Abbot-Downing in Concord, New Hampshire were so successful in branding their ‘Concord’ stagecoaches as being the epitome of elite performance, that everyone wanted to ‘borrow’ the term for their own vehicles. It’s a name that seems to retain much of its original desirability.
Conestoga – Drawing from its own wagon-making heritage, the legendary Studebaker car company paid homage to it’s past by attaching this name to their station wagons in 1954 and ’55. The actual Conestoga-style wagon that was built by John C. Studebaker to move his family from Pennsylvania to Ohio in the early 1800’s is on display in the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend. While the running gear has been replaced, the wagon box is said to be original.
Dakota – While the Dakota name traces its lineage to the North American Sioux tribe, it was also a wagon brand name introduced by John Deere in 1910. In more recent times, Dodge built a Dakota series pickup from 1987 through 2011.
Overland – Long before Willy’s-Overland popularized the ‘Overland’ name among modern off-road enthusiasts, it was well known among stagecoach users as a designation for some of the toughest, most durable stages to run across America. The Overland moniker was also a secondary brand name promoted by the Newton Wagon Company. While Newton was advertised as the premium brand by the firm, Overland was a slightly defeatured and less expensive alternative to the Newton name.
Phaeton – During the 1800’s, numerous American vehicle makers gave this name to light and elegant, four-wheeled carriages engineered to carry from 2 to 4 people. According to carriage historian, Don Berkebile, the Phaeton name is derived from Greek mythology. It’s believed to have first been used for manufactured vehicles by the French in the early 1700’s. More recently, Volkswagen produced a luxury sedan referred to as ‘Phaeton’ from 2002 through 2016. Other auto makers such as Studebaker, Hudson, Mercedes-Benz, Daimler, Ford, Toyota, Duesenberg, Cadillac, Rolls-Royce, and Chrysler have also used the label, ‘Phaeton’ on vehicles.
Pontiac – This name was well known long before GM produced the first Pontiac car in 1926. In fact, it’s as old as Chief Pontiac, head of the Ottawa tribe in the 1760’s. The city of Pontiac, Michigan was established in 1818 and it was named after the Ottawa leader. The Pontiac Buggy Company began in 1893 in Pontiac, Michigan and was a predecessor to the Pontiac car.
Ranch Wagon – This term was/is often used as a colloquialism for a roundup wagon or horse-drawn wagon used around farms and ranches. The name was also applied to Ford station wagons from 1952 through1974. Additionally, it was apparently a name given to a 4-seat monoplane built in 1955. According to Wikipedia, the Taylorcraft Ranch Wagon airplane had a 225 hp engine and a maximum speed of 160 mph.
Suburban– Well before Chevrolet labeled their flagship SUV as a Suburban in 1935, the Studebaker Brothers in South Bend, Indiana had their own vehicles with that name. The first known reference connecting the Suburban name to a vehicle was by Studebaker with their horsedrawn carriages. The firm continued using the name in the early 1900’s with the introduction of a Studebaker ‘Suburban’ automobile in 1908.
Station wagon – Like a lot of folks, I’ve had my share of rides in the back of a station wagon during the 1960s and 70s. Before the SUVs of today’s world, if you needed room for the family and weren’t interested in a van, you automatically checked out the latest family haulers in the station wagon line. While the name became popular as a family-sized limo, this term began literally as a “station” “wagon.” In other words, when folks were traveling by train, they got off at the train ‘station’ and a ‘wagon’ was there to take them to a hotel or other location. Hence, the beginnings of the name Station Wagon.
Bus – This term began as a common abbreviation for an omnibus. These transports are defined as a ‘public street vehicle intended to carry a large number of persons.’ How many people could one carry? Well, in 1875, an omnibus was built with a capacity for as many as 120 passengers. We have several images in the Wheels That Won The West® archives that also show these vehicles being used as a stage.
Studebaker – Many folks don’t realize that the legendary Studebaker car and truck company was once a mega-manufacturer of wagons and carriages. In fact, by 1900 and the advent of the auto industry, Studebaker was already one of the oldest and most successful makers of personal and public transportation.
Milburn – the Milburn moniker is well known among early automobile enthusiasts. While this brand was responsible for the introduction of a number of electric cars in the early 1900s, the firm began as a wagon company and their origins can be traced to 1848. On March 16th of 2016, I wrote a blog highlighting a bit more of their history.
By 1878, Milburn billed itself as having the largest wagon factory in the world.
Stoughton – While the Stoughton name is well known for its long-haul transport trailers today, it was first used on the wagons that are the direct ancestors of the Stoughton Trailer Company. The firm dates back to 1865 when legendary wagon-maker, T.G. Mandt, started the company. Stoughton is currently working on a new headquarters building – still in Stoughton, Wisconsin – and will be showcasing their heritage in the form of a restored, circa 1898 Stoughton wagon. It’s always impressive to see a company with roots this deep and we were honored to assist with restoration details and historic interpretation of the wagon.
Stoughton is expected to unveil its new headquarters in 2025. Inside the facility, they will have a display that helps showcase their lengthy transportation history. According to the brand, Stoughton Trailers designs, manufactures, and markets a wide range of dependable semi-truck trailers used for over-the-road trucking, intermodal chassis as well as agricultural trailers and other specialty transportation equipment.
Kentucky – In 1879, the Kentucky Wagon Company was formed. Among the wagon brands they promoted were Tennessee, Old Hickory, New Hickory, American, and, of course, Kentucky. Today, the Kentucky transportation label still exists as a major builder of long-haul transport trailers... and, they’re still in Louisville, Kentucky. This brand is another great example of a firm that has been in the transportation industry for well over a century.
Traverse – This term is an old one. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it dates to at least 1425. Since I can’t remember quite that far back, I’ll trust their research. At any rate, it definitely was being used long before someone slapped it on the back of my wife’s Chevrolet. The word means “to travel across or through” and, in the 19th and early 20th centuries, a traverse ‘sled’ was capable of carrying as many as 8 to 12 people across snow-covered slopes and streets. A great example of this vehicle can be seen at the Shelburne Museum in Vermont.
This Traverse sled is part of an extensive collection of early vehicles at the Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, VT.
Truck – While pickup trucks have been a staple of work vehicles for over a century, the term ‘Truck’ has been around even longer. In the wagon world, the ‘Truck’ term was used for a strong cart, wagon, or running gear used for heavier hauling work.
Van – Short for the word, caravan, apparently the earliest use of this term by a vehicle can be dated to the early 1800s. At that time, the name referred to a covered wagon used to haul goods.
Of all the studies in academia, history may be the most intriguing as it covers every other subject. Likewise, it serves as an ever-present notice of who we are, where we’ve come from; and very possibly, where we’re going. As we’re reminded by King Solomon in Ecclesiastes 1:9 (NIV)...
“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”
Have a great week!
