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

August News

We have just completed restoring this original Newton chuck wagon for Grether Land and Cattle of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. This wagon is equipped with everything but the cookie! It is set up like a traditional cowboy camp and is ready for some Dutch oven cooking. We are proud to have our wagon showcased on the beautiful setting of Grether Ranch. Hansen Wheel & Wagon Shop would like to thank Grether Land and Cattle for choosing Hansen Wheel to build their chuck wagon.



This beautiful Concord buggy belongs to Bear Ranch of Colorado. This buggy is a perfect fit for the mountainous terrain of Colorado with its three-reach side suspension. The body of this buggy is more elegant than the typical piano box buggy. This is the fourth project we have completed for Bear Ranch. We would like to thank them for being great repeat customers.

This is a new Concord stagecoach being assembled for Tom Ungurean. It is a replica of an original coach in the Los Angeles Wells Fargo Museum. This 9-passenger coach would have been similar to those that carried mail across the continent prior to the expansion of railroads into the West. Jerome and Joel are currently ironing the running gear while Ivan is assembling the side rails of the body.

Trichter's stagecoach is nearly finished and is now undergoing the upholstery process. Both boots are constructed out of a reddish brown leather and accented with brass. The inside of the coach is currently being installed by Seth and Andrew. In a few days this coach will be on its running gear and ready to hitch.

The shop is currently strewn with parts from an original Studebaker Sprinkler Wagon. With a restoration this precise, it becomes necessary to rebuild the wagon in different segments. During the first segment the 5th wheel platform assembly was reconstructed (shown in top photo). This was a huge task because of the many components, angles, and depths. The wheels are also currently being assembled. The next step is going to be restoring the wooden tank (shown directly above).

We were happy to be able to finish this Concord coach in time for Cheyenne's 2010 Frontier Days! If you were fortunate enough to take in Frontier Days, then you would have seen this coach driven in the parades and at the grand opening of the rodeo events. This vehicle is the flagship for promoting the annual rodeo which has taken place every year since 1897! Thank you for choosing Hansen Wheel to construct you a beautiful coach to showcase your events.

This is the body for the original M.P. Henderson surrey being restored for Melanie Brooker. The body is now finished, waiting for an extention top and leather upholstery to be applied.

Earth Day

Here is the finished product of the hitch wagon Wayne was striping in the previous blog. This wagon is going home to North Carolina. Not only is it going to make a great show wagon it will also be a huge advertising piece.

The ultimate pantry wagon. This is a beautifully restored original Peter Schuttler chuck wagon. In the chuck box there is even a sound system and in the box is a mini fridge and mood lights. Also this wagon is decked out with striping and lettering.

Here is the stagecoach gear Kirby was restoring in the last post. It's about finished, all that's left is it's striping.

The decorative wagon is finished and ready to be shipped. This is going to be in a museum showcasing typical wagon supplies.

Here is the wagon Brian has been building. It has come a long way since the last post. Next the wheels are going to be stained red. A canvas will be fitted on top and then it will look like a wagon off the Oregon trail.

For more information on any of these types of vehicles follow the link below.

http://www.hansenwheel.com/products/hansen/index.html

Feel free to comment.

First Post

Welcome to Hansen Wheel and Wagon Shop's Blog. We receive many emails asking about what's going on in the shop, so we decided to create a blog to keep everyone updated. We are always busy so check back often to see what's new!

Currently we have various projects going on...





Jerome is restoring this Drop-Front Phaeton. These buggy's were built in the late 1800's, and were popular among doctors. When finished it will have a falling top that encloses for privacy and protection from the elements. In this picture Jerome is applying a coat of dark blue paint.









This is the beautiful restoration of a Peter Schuttler chuck wagon. The body is the traditional hunter green color and the running gear which is not pictured is a bright orange with blue striping. It may sound like an odd combination but wagon makers always used bright colored gears because they hid dirt better than darker colors. In this picture Leonard is applying a protective coat over this wagon's new paint job.





This wagon is not going to be for horses it is going to be for an exhibit. This is a custom decorator wagon, many stores, restaurants, museums etc. request wagons like this to display. This particular wagon will be used to showcase supplies typically carried in covered wagons.












In this picture Tim our wheelwright is assembling a 3 Pounder Infantry Cannon. This cannon was used by the British in the Revolutionary War. As with all field artillery of the era, the spokes of the wheels extended outward at an angle from the hubs, forming a saucer shaped wheel, to give a slightly softer ride and give better strength in cornering. Since a vertical saucer shaped wheel would otherwise encounter greater stress, the wheels were slanted so that the lower spokes were vertical.




This is the start of a custom Prairie Schooner covered wagon. A descendant of the Conestoga, this wagon was used by the pioneers to transport their possessions westward. Named for its white canvas top, which at a distance made it resemble a sailing ship, the prairie schooner had a flat body and lower sides than the Conestoga wagon.










Kirby is restoring an original stagecoach running gear. This is an Abbot and Downing running gear #509 and is stamped by JG Chesley.












Wayne is applying striping to this custom hitch wagon. Traditionally hitch wagons were used commercially to carry merchandise and supplies, but currently they are more commonly used in shows and for advertising.










For more information on any of these types of vehicles follow the link below.

http://www.hansenwheel.com/products/hansen/index.html

Feel free to comment.