Nearly a quarter century ago, I set out
on a quest to learn more about America’s first transportation industry. It’s been quite a journey since those early
days when I was struggling to find primary source materials.
Today, I’m convinced that, as much as
we’ve uncovered, we’ve barely scratched the surface of what there is to learn
about this industry and how it prepared the way for the automobile. One of the biggest hurdles we had to overcome
in the beginning was the perception that the wagon and carriage industry was
fairly small with only a few thousand manufacturers scattered over the whole country. Over time, I was able to locate period books,
directories, trade publications, and other resources that added clarity and
valuable insights. Now we know that
there were literally tens of thousands of horse-drawn vehicle builders and
repairers in the U.S. In fact, Clement Studebaker
(then-president of Studebaker Bros. Manufacturing Co.) stated in 1887 that he
conservatively estimated the United States had at least 80,000 vehicle
makers. Talk about competition!
It’s a tough industry to fully study
since the majority of these builders were small and often didn’t stay in
business for an extended time. Some engaged in carriage and wagon making as a sideline to another primary business like hardware, lumber, and even undertaking! Complicating matters a bit more, most did very little, if any, promotion
beyond the local shop signage and word-of-mouth advertising. The end result is that there tends to be very little (if any) surviving information on many builders. In tribute to the small and mid-sized vehicle makers, I
thought we’d share a few more of the countless manufacturing-related images we
have in our collection. There’s a wide
variety of subject matter in those photos since horse-drawn vehicle production
required at least four categories of skillsets – blacksmiths, wheelwrights,
wainwrights, and painters. Enjoy!
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This extremely rare photo shows how A.
Meister’s shop in Sacramento, California looked in 1872. The well-known firm survived into the early 1920’s.
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This old image shows the employees of Short
& Smith. The firm built carriages,
spring wagons, and sleighs in Syracuse, New York.
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Note the workers in the second story of
this building. These upper sections were
often used for painting as they had less dust and debris compared to the ground
floor where blacksmithing and woodwork were done.
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This super-scarce image shows a group of wagon and carriage makers comprised predominantly of African-American craftsmen. They're standing in front of wood stock that's being air-seasoned versus the kiln-drying process.
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Small blacksmith shops were common to almost every community across the United States. This one was located
in West, Texas. It was owned by Frank
Divin, the inventor and patentee of a 2-row cultivator.
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This 1880 photo provides a rare glimpse
of a period, Jackson-brand wagon as well as the legendary J.A. Polley vehicle
shops in Topeka, Kansas. Photos like this are invaluable when determining levels of originality and authenticity.
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Dated to 1896, this photo shows a
builder in Ashfield, Massachusetts. Note
the stepped ramp allowing vehicles to be moved upstairs for painting and
striping work.
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The artwork on the entrances of some old
blacksmithing buildings was amazing.
This one includes a mural of the builder’s wagons. To the right, additional signage promotes
“Horse-Shoeing, Wagon Work, & Plow Work.”
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Comparatively little is known about the
Holmes wagon brand built in Barry, Illinois.
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The Pitts & Blume operation was a
decent-sized shop for a small community.
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While early vehicles were designed with their share of art and style, additional creativity was displayed in other areas as well. Either of the 1890’s-era signs on this
building would be a great addition to an early vehicle collection today.
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Please Note: As with each of our blog writings, all imagery and text is copyrighted with All Rights Reserved. The material may not be broadcast, published, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written permission from David E. Sneed, Wheels That Won The West® Archives, LLC
