It cantilevered out slightly more than that of a typical emigrant wagon to help protect the cargo from the weather. The cover was usually made of canvas, cotton sailcloth, or homespun hemp. This curved bed kept freight from moving and shifting, thus keeping the cargo in the center during transit. In addition to a longer bed, it had a curved box much like that on a boat. ![]() A Conestoga's size was 17 feet long and 11 feet high, reflecting the freighter's need for space in hauling. The name Conestoga comes from the Conestoga River Valley in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Sometimes a medium sized variation of the Conestoga would be used by families traveling the Oregon Trail. Sleek and angular, with graceful curves, it was attractive to the eye. This vehicle was the primary choice for freighting companies shipping goods to the western frontier. The Conestoga wagon is probably the most familiar pioneer wagon to us of the modern era, as it is often used in films and other media. They also required costly supplemental feed. They lacked the strength and endurance needed to pull a wagon 2,000 miles. A spare yoke often trailed behind so that the livestock could be rotated and rested.įor those who preferred mules, an equivalent number of harnessed mules could have been used in place of oxen. Oxen were most often used for pulling this type of wagon. Straying too far above these load weights could risk serious problems. ![]() A Murphy could comfortably haul between 1,800 to 2,200 pounds. The bed of a Murphy wagon had a straight box, unlike its more famous counterpart, the Conestoga, which had a curved box. They were usually nine feet high with a twelve foot long bed. Murphy's wagons consisted of wheels, running gear, a box, and a cover. His wagons became the best known on the western trails. Joseph Murphy began producing wagons for the traders headed west from Missouri to Santa Fe and later for the overland emigration. The Murphy Wagon at Scotts Bluff National Monument was constructed by the Dewitts Buggy Works in 1979.
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