Phaeton is the early 19th-century term for a sporty carriage drawn by either a single horse or a pair, typically with four extravagantly large wheels, very lightly sprung, with a minimal body, and speed. It typically had no sidepieces in front of the seats. The rather self-consciously classicizing name refers to the ride of mythical Phaëton, son of Helios, who set the earth on fire while attempting to drive the chariot of the sun.
On Labor Day Weekend the Cities of Ketchum and Sun Valley host the historic Wagon Days Celebration. The holiday weekend is packed with a variety of activities, many of which celebrate the valley's mining history. Below is one of the freight wagons this celebration is centered around. The wagon on the left is from the 20 hitch mule train in Ketchum Idaho. These wagons were originally used for mining and you can watch a video of the jerk line in action here http://www.youtube.com/hansenwheel.
This is a mountain wagon, similar to the stagecoach but with a simpler design, these are popular for tours with their open sides for passengers to look out of. This wagon will be on display at the Sun Valley Resort in Idaho.
Hitch wagons, sometimes called express wagons or show wagons, were widely used for light trucking. Companies took great pride in the hitch wagons bearing their business name and in the magnificent team of horses that pulled them. That tradition is still true with many of our customers still providing us with custom logos to have painted on their wagons. This hitch wagon is not entirely finished but it is getting there with just a few chrome pieces left. This is an extravagant hitch wagon and you will soon see it in upcoming shows.
Pictured here is a replication Concord Stagecoach. There is still the same craftsmanship in our coaches as the originals. Each person in our shop has specialized jobs to get our stagecoaches to our customers. The process starts with the coach builder constructing all the wooden components of the coach except for the wheels which are fabricated by the wheelwright. All metal components are hand forged by the blacksmith. Then our upholsterer sews all the seats and curtains. Last the body is stained and all murals, gold leafing and striping are done by a professional painter.
