Wagons for the Santa Fe Trade: Wheeled Vehicles and Their Makers, 1822-1880

This profusely illustrated history explores Santa Fe Trade freight wagons and wagon makers. For a half-century until the railroad reached New Mexico in 1880, hundreds of eight wagons yearly hauled commercial goods over the Santa Fe Trail, the major traffic artery between Missouri and New Mexico. The author identifies wagon types and examines wagon makers and their factories, power sources, woodworking machinery, and construction processes. Individual chapters examine Pennsylvania and Missouri wagons, characteristics of freight wagons, the transition from shop to factory, and Dearborns, personal vehicles, and provision wagons. The author also devotes a chapter to the legendary wind wagon. Appendices offer first-person descriptions of merchant trains, rolling stock, and wagon factories.Mark L. Gardner is the author of 'Wagons for the Santa Fe Trade: Wheeled Vehicles and Their Makers, 1822-1880', published 2000 under ISBN 9780826318466 and ISBN 0826318460.