Over the years, we’ve been extremely privileged to have been able to help uncover and document so much previously unknown information related to America’s early western vehicles. As part of those successes, however, there have been plenty of times the lack of answers has delivered a strong dose of humility. This wood-wheeled subject is huge, daunting and may never be completely studied. Fortunately, the thrill of the chase has provided plenty of impetus to keep digging.
A good case in point; Roughly six years ago, we acquired a pair of old photographs showing what appeared to be some type of U.S. military supply wagon. It’s not one we’ve seen promoted or written about nor were we able to quickly locate a source to properly identify the vehicle. Recently, though, we finally placed a stamp of success on this search when we uncovered military paperwork showing the unique design to be a “Tool Wagon” built to carry a multitude of equipment for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The rare photos we had collected are from the mid-teens in the 20th century and are now accompanied by an original, near-century-old set of plans drawn up by the War Department.
In discovery after discovery, the Wheels That Won The West® Archives have grown significantly while simultaneously gaining a reputation for sleuthing out obscure or lost horse drawn vehicle history. As we continue this blog, we’re looking forward to sharing even more documented findings and encourage you to share your own questions related to early heavy vehicle design, use, brand, purpose and so forth. We look forward to hearing from you.
