Schooner or later about9/2/2023 ![]() With the passing of the Conestoga Wagon as a means of transportation, the Conestoga breed has all but vanished. At least four horses were used on each wagon. On the average, they stood 16 1/2 to 17 hands high and weighed about 1,600 pounds. They are believed to have originated from the Tammerlane, several of which were brought over by William Penn. ![]() The horses used to pull the wagons were the massive Conestogas, one of the few breeds developed in this country. The covering slanted over the front and back to help keep rain off the cargo. Covering the wagon was a homespun canvas supported by hickory wood bows. The wheels were as tall as a man and broad enough to carry the weight without bogging down. The body of the wagon was boat-shaped with slanted ends and a sag in the center, both crosswise and lengthwise to be certain that the load would not shift to the center of the vehicle going up or down hill. These wagons, often traveling in large groups, were quite an impressive sight - still evidenced by the remaining examples in museums. After the Revolution, as settlements expanded westward, the Conestoga hauled freight to the new towns. Before the Revolutionary War, some 10,000 of these wagons made the trip from the Dutch Country to Philadelphia, hauling farm produce, whiskey, iron ore and finished products, charcoal, and returning with items imported from Europe. The Conestoga was used to carry any type of cargo. Long before the canals and railroads made an appearance in the Lebanon Valley, the Pennsylvania Dutch settlers had developed a unique vehicle that was ideally suited to travel on the unimproved trails of the area and capable of carrying large amounts of cargo - the Conestoga Wagon. The Conestoga's features include a bowed top & greater length than the Prairie Schooner (which is shorter, square framed, flat topped & sports a buckboard seat NOT found on the Conestoga). You've sent the "Wayback Machine" into overdrive with this post.īTW, helluvaday with the schooner posts! They have not missed my attention.The Conestoga Wagon or its smaller cousin, the Prairie Schooner were the 'vehicle' of choice for the tens of thousands of hardy pioneers in the mid to late 1800's. She grew up crawling around the docks at Colonial Yacht Anchorage, figuratively tied to Shultzy's belt. My college girl-friend was a waitress there. The Shultzes lived on their boat, The Aegean Sea, which IIRC was a Bugeye Ketch. The regulars reveled in the ever present insults and bad tempers displayed by both Shultz and his wife (I should be able to remember her name). He spent more time regaling his customers with tales of the merchant marine than he did cooking. Shultzy was the stereotypical short order cook right down to the grease stained white t-shirt covering the pot belly that hung over his grease stained white apron. LSG was owned and operated by Earl Shultz and his wife, and at one time served as the official meeting place of the Little Ships Fleet yacht club. The area currently occupied by this high-end waterfront dive was formerly occupied by the low-end waterfront dive known as The Little Ships Galley. To advertise, take a look at WoodenBoat Advertising, or use your Google Adwords account if you want to advertise on the Forum. Selling/self promotion postings are verboten on the Forum. No need to register unless you would like to participate, although some images will only show if you are registered/logged-in.īefore you can post: click the red register link or the register tab, above, right. You'll find answers to the frequently asked questions as well as basic rules. To get WoodenBoat delivered to your door or computer, mobile device of choice, etc, click WB Subscriptions.Ĭheck out the FAQ. The Forum is a free service, and much like the "free" content on Public Radio, we hope you will support WoodenBoat by subscribing to this fabulous magazine. ![]() The WoodenBoat Forum is sponsored by WoodenBoat Publications, publisher of WoodenBoat magazine.
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