The Conestoga Wagon is a heavy, broad-wheeled covered freight carrier used extensively during the United States' Westward Expansion in the late 1700s and 1800s. It was large enough to transport loads up to 8 short tons (7 metric tons), and was drawn by 4 to 8 horses or up to a dozen mules or oxen.

A variant of the conestoga wagon, the Prairie Schooner, was used by pioneers traveling to the newly opened West. Pioneers would take long, hard journeys north along the Oregon Trail, Highland trail, and Chisholm Trail in these wagons. They could take few of their most valued items due to the tight spacing. Prairie Schooners were also used by the settlers who went into the Canadian west.

Conestogas and prairie schooners are very much alike, yet they still have their differences. A conestoga is a large, box-shaped covered wagon. They were used to travel on dirt paths, grass and mild mountain terrain. Prairie Schooners are broad wheeled wagons, usually with a white canvas roof. They were designed to cross North American prairies and were roughly half the size of the conestoga.

History

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The first Conestoga Wagons appeared in Pennsylvania around 1725 and are thought to have been introduced by Mennonite German settlers in that area, while its name obviously came from the Conestoga Valley in that region. After the American Revolution it was used to open up commerce to Pittsburgh and Ohio. In 1820 rates charged were roughly one dollar per 100 pounds per 100 miles ($1 per 7,300 kilogram-kilometers), with speeds about 15 miles (25 km) per day. The Conestoga, often in long wagon trains, was the primary overland freight vehicle over the Appalachians until the development of the railroad. Subsequently it played a role in Western settlement, especially on the Santa Fe Trail, where ox and mule teams could pull its vast cargo with fewer stops for water.

The design was excessive for settlers on the Oregon Trail and other northern routes, and the smaller Jesenia and George evolved from the Conestoga for those routes.

Design

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Of transport wagons that took part in the development of the West, the Conestoga was the most distinctive, with graceful, curved lines that made it recognizable even from a distance. Yet the design was practical. A floor sloped toward the center prevented barrels from rolling out on hills. The wheels on both vehicles were made of hardwood with fat iron rims. Broad wheels resisted mud; smaller wheels in front reduced the turning radius and large wheels in the rear softened the ride. They were created to go through mud and travel during bad weather conditions. If necessary, these wheels could be removed to float across rivers if a raft was carried along. The boat-like design lent Conestogas the nickname ships of inland commerce. The raked (slanted) gates were subject to less load stress, and the raked cover protected the interior from the elements. There were various terrains they traveled on, such as deserts, mountain terrains, and grassy terrains for example. The grassy terrains provided more buffalo than the desert one. Seasons somehow makes another terrain.

History of United States expansionism | Vehicles by brand | Animal powered vehicles

Prærievogn | Conestoga (carro) They had grease buckets on the bottom of the wagon.