From Kansas to Kentucky

On September 16th Doug and Holly Hansen loaded up their trailer with a Prairie Schooner, a Freight Wagon, a Mud Wagon, and a Chuck Wagon. They headed south and their first stop was the Santa Fe Trail Rendezvous in Ft. Larned, Kansas. This event was very informative with speakers from all over the country providing knowledge on the theme “Communication on the Santa Fe Trail”. On September 18th we showcased our lynch pin 1840's Prairie Schooner and Doug's personal Mud Wagon at the Fort. Doug even had the change to hitch his Mud Wagon to a team of Ken Wasserman's mules and deliver mail with Dr. Leo Oliva portraying Private Robert Morris Peck. Doug gave a talk on the construction and history of the Schooner, Mud Wagon and early Escort Wagon. Greg and Joann Van Covern gave a lecture about their spring wagon and John Deere farm wagon. The event participants ended the day with a delicious dinner served in the quartermasters store house. http://www.santafetrail.org/symposium.php

Ft. Larned - Doug and another speaker, Greg Van Covern

Ft. Larned - Doug Explaining the Construction of a Mud Wagon

Ft. Larned -Taking the Mud Wagon for a Test Drive

Ft. Larned -Doug Joined the Ride and Helped Deliver the Mail

Next the Hansen's headed East to the Museum of Westward Expansion in St. Louis, MO. They had the opportunity to study and research an original Schooner equipped with a steel skein and lynch pin. This wagon is a great example of the early American West's vehicles (circa 1850's). There was also a great reproduction Concord stagecoach and an early ox cart. http://www.nps.gov/jeff/planyourvisit/museum-of-westward-expansion.htm

Museum of Westward Expansion - Original Prairie Schooner with Steel Skein and Lynch Pin

Museum of Westward Expansion - Replica Concord Stagecoach

Early Ox Cart

The final leg of their journey was the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky. Hansen Wheel and Wagon Shop was was chosen to provide historic horse drawn vehicles to represent early western American history. The vehicles we provided were a Freight Wagon, a Mud Wagon, a Chuck Wagon and a Prairie Schooner. The vehicles are going to be incorporated into the obstacle course for the the 4 in hand driving competition. After the setup we toured the grounds and were astonished by the substantial size of the complex. http://www.alltechfeigames.com/

World Equestrian Games - World Equestrian Games Grandstands

World Equestrian Games - Doug and Holly Moving the Chuck Wagon into Position

                World Equestrian Games - Doug Placing the Bows on the Freight Wagon

World Equestrian Games - Setting up Doug's Mud Wagon

 

 

 

World Equestrian Games - Restored 1840's Lynch Pin Prairie Schooner