We're less than a month away from what is shaping up to be an incredible gathering in Granbury, Texas, August 14-15, 2026. It's the kind of event I wish had existed when I first started learning about America's early wagons. It would have saved me a lot of trouble and travel! The program is likely to be the most comprehensive overview of period wood-wheeled wagons and western vehicles ever put together. Doug Hansen of Hansen Wheel & Wagon Shop (South Dakota) will be there, unveiling a world of details related to the evolution of wagons over the decades. Glenn Moreland, from Texas Cowboy Outfitters will also have a great program on wheel maintenance and repairs, Mark Day (Missouri) will be covering another intriguing part of our past - the care and maintenance of wood barrels, and yours truly will also have a pair of presentations. We'll be passing along period wagon terminology, design distinctions, brand identification, tips on determining build dates, who did what, when, how, where, and why... and a lot more. A number of historic wagons will be on display (indoors) and vendors will have booths throughout the conference center. In truth, this get-together will be packed with insights that haven't been revealed since 'Old Dobber' was the only horsepower folks talked about. Another great part of this agenda... it's all indoors at the extraordinary Granbury Conference Center. Talk about the epitome of comfort, convenience, and class!
From learning more about a family heirloom on wheels to museum needs, chuck wagon competitions, collecting, and general interest in the Old West, you don't want to miss this conference!
The 2-day series of seminars is being hosted by the American Chuck Wagon Association, but all types of western wagons will be discussed. Whether a person is an Old West enthusiast, chuck wagon competitor, early vehicle collector, museum curator, writer, historian, treasure hunter, or time traveler, the sheer amount of information and networking opportunities virtually guarantees that this event will be referenced for years to come.
With that in mind, I recently spoke with one of those coming to the event. Patrick Goodknight of southwest Missouri wears a lot of hats, including those of financial consultant, leather worker, saddle maker, National Stagecoach & Freight Wagon Association Director, wagon collector, enthusiast, and preservationist. To that last point, over the past few years, he's been rescuing a couple handfuls of wagons from the remains of an old blacksmith and wagon repair shop in Montana. The remote location is on private property and has remained relatively undisturbed for over a century. For Patrick, it's been the ideal place to directly connect with authentic western history.
While most of the running gears have seen their better days, many show signs of extensive patching and repair work. In fact, no tires remained on any of the wheels. According to Patrick, almost every part of the heavy reinforcement and period refurbishing utilized wagon tires for the mending job. It's a reminder that, especially in remote regions, folks were relegated to using what they had on hand just to keep the machines rolling. In this case, these parts of the past were being used to freight timber and other needs for the area's silver mining.
As time has progressed, so has Patrick's preservation of the running gear and rebuilding of the box with original hardware. Images courtesy Patrick Goodknight.
As might be expected, due to the rugged terrain and heavy hauling, all these pieces are Mountain wagon designs. This brings me to the gist of my call with Patrick. He's planning on bringing several pieces as well as one of the more complete wagons he's preserved to the event in Granbury. The most complete wagon is a Peter Schuttler with an 1886 date stamp. True 1880s pieces from any brand, let alone a legend like Schuttler, have become nearly impossible to come across. I'd encourage every attendee to spend some time with Patrick as he has a great story to tell about the Montana discovery and related history.
In the meantime, I hope to see many of you soon. Regrettably, I missed posting a blog last week. My schedule seems to be even more full lately and those attending the Granbury event will get a firsthand view of some of what I've been up to. Hint... it's something that's never been done, will be highly limited in numbers, and should look great in any western setting. You'll need to be at the event to find out what it is and how to get it.
In the meantime, the deadline for registration with the ACWA for this program is rapidly approaching. You can find the details at www.americanchuckwagons.com
See you soon!
David
Ps. 20:7