Pennsylvanian origins The region now known as Lancaster County was first permanently settled by European colonists by 1719. German immigrants arrived to Lancaster County within the 18th century because of the rich-quality land. The Pennsylvanian town of Lancaster was founded by
John Wright in 1730 and grew to become one of the largest towns in the American colonies by the
American Revolution. The German immigrants of the county referred to themselves as "
Pennsylfawisch Deitsch", leading to the confusion by English speakers who established the term "Pennsylvanian Dutch" despite them not actually being Dutch. By 1720, farm wagons were already put into usage within the British colony of Pennsylvania as they carried merchandise from Philadelphia to Lancaster county in exchange for furs. In the mid-18th century, the German immigrants of Lancaster County produced their own Conestoga wagons for hauling crops elsewhere and for traveling on dirt roads. The covered wagons often carried flour and iron ores from Lancaster to Philadelphia in exchange for tools, clothing, and furniture. They were also hauled from
Conestoga, Pennsylvania, to Philadelphia, where they returned to the former area with basic goods such as lead, gunpowder, rum, and salt.
Braddock Expedition was disastrous for the British Army, which lost
Edward Braddock along with many other soldiers and wagons. The Conestoga wagons were notably the major transport vehicles used during the
Braddock Campaign of the
French and Indian War. They were first referenced in relation to the war campaign by the Pennsylvania governor
Robert Hunter Morris when he advised the
Pennsylvania General Assembly that they cover the expenses of the wagons and horses to be employed for British-American military service to capture the French
Fort Duquesne. Neither the Pennsylvania assembly nor those of
Maryland and
Virginia passed any law to cover military transport.
Major-General Edward Braddock arrived to North America in February 1755 to carry out his role as commander-in-chief of the British forces during the French and Indian War.
Colonel Sir John St. Clair informed Braddock about settlers at the
Blue Ridge Mountains who were running provisions and stores, expressing confidence that by early May 1755, they would have 200 wagons and 1,500 pack horses ready for deployment into
Fort Cumberland. Unfortunately for Braddock, only 25 wagons were deployed for the British frontier port by April, several of which were actually unusable. The major-general was aggravated in reaction to the underwhelming resources and wanted to shut down the expedition, but he later commissioned
Benjamin Franklin to gather some 150 wagons and 1,500 pack horses from the locals. Franklin eventually succeeded in Braddock's demands but with great difficulty due to farmers being unable to afford giving up their resources and the Pennsylvania assembly having little interest in the war due to
Quaker affinities. Another challenge was of building roads, as several road builders under Colonel
James Burd were being killed by Native Americans, leading to many others threatening to quit their work unless they were given protection. Letters and newspaper accounts of the 1750s confirm the usage of farm wagons during the Braddock Expedition that were referred to as "Conestoga wagons". No wagon of the war campaign survives today, but archeological evidence of wagon fragments provide limited evidence of the wagon designs. The wheel diameters are typical of farm wagons rather than military vehicles, and the presence of strakes for wagon wheels indicate the lack of brakes in early farm wagons that later Conestoga wagons had. The wagons used by Braddock's men also carried smaller loads compared to later Conestoga wagons due to their smaller sizes. According to the
British Army officer
Robert Orme, the wagons, artillery, and carrying horses were placed into three different divisions that were each overseen by an appointed superior. The wagon masters of each division were expected to keep their teams stable and replenish horses when needed. During the expedition, many wagons sustained critical damage and were replaced by wagons from other camps. Management of horses also proved problematic as they were often lost or brought home by their owners, and those that remained grew weaker over time. Some wagons had to be sent back due to being too heavy, and the others had loads removed in order to reduce their weights. The Braddock Expedition ended with the
Battle of the Monongahela, which ultimately proved to be disastrous for the British Army. Many of Braddock's soldiers were killed or wounded by the opposing French and their allied Native American forces, and Braddock himself was mortally wounded. Most of the British artillery, wagons, and supplies were abandoned by the British army as they quickly retreated, meaning that a majority of the remaining wagons were lost. Most of the wagons at Dunbar's Camp were burned by the British to prevent the French and Native Americans from seizing their materials as they anticipated pursuit by the enemy forces. Only a few wagons of the Braddock Expedition ultimately returned to
Wills Creek in Pennsylvania, most of which were evidently damaged beyond repair. All the wagon owners were ultimately compensated both for the use of the wagons and, where appropriate, their loss. In total, 146 wagons are thought to have been employed for the disastrous Braddock Expedition, the only wagon which appears to have survived intact being that of William Douglas.
Late 18th–19th centuries s, such as that pictured, tended to be more popular vehicles for western frontier travel compared to Conestoga wagons. Conestoga wagons, strictly speaking, are generally thought to have had widespread usage within North America lasting from 1750 to 1850, although the year range is by no means strict. Several authors argued that the "golden age" of Conestoga wagons (or time of peak usage) lasted from 1820 to 1840. As the main terrestrial vehicles of transport in North America, they frequently hauled farm goods from rural areas into towns and cities in exchange for other manufactured commodities. In the 18th century of the United States, the Conestoga wagon was the most popular transport vehicle of the American frontier, and as many as one hundred of them traveled in individual groups, extending in geographical range from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to
Augusta, Georgia. However, Conestoga wagon travel was still costly, so merchants often preferred transport of goods by sea. The increase in usage of Conestoga wagons within Pennsylvania in the later 18th century was correlated with the growth population in the western region and the rising economic development of
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From 1750 up to 1775, more than 10,000 Conestoga wagons traveled within the Pennsylvania region to Philadelphia annually, and 50 to 100 wagons traveled daily. At times, a whole train of 100 wagons traveled at once. Wagon travel was made possible by the construction of roads across multiple provinces to make travel easier and forts within the Pennsylvania mountain front to protect settlers from Native American raids, as diplomatic relations had been damaged due to the French and Indian War. Some of the most significant roads included the
Conestoga Road and the
Great Wagon Road. Beginning in the early 19th century, wagons became larger as evident by the size increase of the wagon jacks over time. They were also hauled across rivers such as the
Susquehanna River via ferry boats, and heavy wagon traffic for ferrying had resulted in wagons waiting in line for up to three days. It was used to some extent for travel to the western frontier, but it was generally too heavy, required too many draft animals for hauling, and was an expensive vehicle to build or purchase. Standard "prairie schooners" were much more often used since they were lighter, had sturdier wheels, and were cheaper. The perception of Conestoga wagons being the preferred vehicle of choice for traveling westward in North America is seemingly the result of them being better-represented in literature and media compared to the smaller prairie schooners. Still, by the 1840s, the Conestoga wagon saw usage in the
Santa Fe Trail, being distinguished in purpose from the medium and light covered wagons used by settlers migrating to California or Oregon. Conestoga wagons saw also some usage by German immigrants of the British provinces of what is now Canada, typically carrying of goods, and roads were built to accommodate wagon travel. , as it appeared in 1915. A century before, wagoners would have stopped at taverns such as this. Wagoners, especially in Pennsylvania, often stopped by at taverns, also at the time called "stations". From
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, to Pittsburgh, there were about 150 taverns, or roughly 1 tavern for each mile. The inns of the 19th century often contained large signs containing painted figures and words that were mounted on posts at the highway to catch the attention of wagoners, including those who were illiterate. The taverns were numerous, but not all of them welcomed wagoners in for service. In the winter, the wagons were parked on planks so that the wheels would not freeze while the wagoners stayed in overnight. The taverns were normally crowded on busy days, and wagoners may have expected greetings from other tavern guests, ranging from fellow wagoners to community members meeting up there. Tavern keepers, generally influential men of their communities, made profits from selling liquor and meals to them, but their revenue mainly came from overnight stays, which would have cost less than $1.75. The next morning, wagoners followed typical schedules of eating breakfast then tending to their horses (i.e. feeding and watering them) before departing.
Decline The Conestoga wagon's extended period of use in North America gradually declined in the latter half of the early 19th century as technological change ushered in more practical alternatives. This was especially true in the state where the covered wagons had originated, Pennsylvania, as the introduction and spread of canals provided a cheaper and faster way to transport goods. Another major factor in the decline of Conestoga wagons was the construction of railroads, over whose lines companies like the
Reading Company could haul goods such as coal or agricultural produce more efficiently than wagons. As a result, the use of Conestoga wagons later became largely restricted to rural areas. The displacement of Conestoga wagons by railroads and canals in the United States was a national trend. Despite the replacement not only of most wagons but also of the short-lived
Pony Express mail service by more technologically advanced modes of transport, the US horse population did not experience a corresponding decline in numbers. The decline of the Conestoga wagon and most other covered wagons in the later 19th century did not include the decline of all covered wagon variants, however. The Nissen Wagon, originating in North Carolina, was still a popular transport vehicle throughout the 19th century; contemporaneous production numbers reflect that high demand. In the early 20th century, the Nissen Wagon Works continued to produce Nissen Wagons in high numbers for southeastern states, but by the 1940s their use had declined. == Legacy ==