how much did a covered wagon cost in the 1800s

$30 was a lot of money back then! Despite the romantic depictions of the covered wagon in movies and on television, it would not have been very comfortable to travel in or sleep in the wagon. How much did a horse cost in 1850? Western Settlers were guided by roads, canals, and trails. Riding in a wagon was lumpy and unpleasant since the path was uneven, full of holes and pebbles. What time did the pioneers wake up and go to bed on the trail? Usually four or six animals had to pull the wagon. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. A restored Conestoga wagon at Scotts Bluffs National Monument, A Conestoga wagon on display at the Cole Land Transportation Museum in Bangor, Maine[8], Covered wagons at California Interpretive Center in Elko, Nevada, This article is about the American Wild West wagon. It was a grand life but a tough one. Instead they walked alongside them, getting just as dusty as the animals. Similarly, How did pioneers travel on the trails? However, since the 1849 Gold Rush reduced the availability of oxen in the departure locations along the Missouri River, gold seekers in 1850 had to rely increasingly on horses. The journey was long and difficult, and many people died along the way. But this is not accurate. Even with all the hardships, Amelias story wasnt much different from most of the folks traveling the Oregon Trail. How long did it take to travel the Oregon Trail? . But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Oxen were slower, but held up better than horses or mules. How did wagon wheels work? Pioneers typically packed their wagons with food, water, clothes, blankets, tools, and other supplies that they would need for the journey. Hundreds of thousands of American pioneers utilized the Oregon Trail to trek west from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City, Oregon, during the mid-nineteenth century. In the 1800s, how much was a wagon? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Dreary times, wet and muddy, and crowded in the tent, cold and wet and uncomfortable in the wagon no place for the poor children, Sometimes Amelia Stewart Knight and her family had to sleep in wet beds, with their wet clothes on, without supper., Sick or well, Amelia had chores to do; and they were endless. Typical farm wagons were merely covered for westward expansion and heavily relied upon along such travel routes as the Great Wagon Road, the Mormon Trail and the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails, covered wagons carried settlers seeking land, gold, and new futures ever further west. The Conestoga wagon is a specific design of heavy covered wagon that was used extensively during the late eighteenth century, and the nineteenth century, in the eastern United States and Canada. How much did a covered wagon cost in the 1800s? Combined with accidents, drowning at dangerous river crossings, and other illnesses, at least 20,000 people died along the Oregon Trail. In March, 1857, Alexander Fancher and his wagon train left Fort Smith, Arkansas, for California. Entrepreneurs wanting to profit from the emigrant movement erected toll bridges over several minor waterways. What trails did pioneers use to travel west? The covered wagon was one of the main methods of transportation, often drawn by oxen or mules. The Conestoga wagon was far too heavy for westward expansion. Scrubbing and mending clothes, keeping watch over her seven children, preparing meals for her family of eight, (soon to be nine), and the five hired hands that traveled with them. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Undated picture of a Conestoga wagon waiting for its load of trade goods. All of the familys belongings had to be packed into the wagon, leaving no room for beds. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. They often had to lighten the load of the wagon by discarding items along the road or getting out of the wagon and walking along beside it. But the rewards of reaching the West were great, and many settlers were willing to risk everything for a chance at a new life. Usually four or six animals had to pull the wagon. $30 was a lot of money back then! Required fields are marked *. A team of two oxen would cost $20 in the early to mid-1840s. A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? Wagon-train transportation moved westward with . How much did it cost to join a wagon train? It was costlyas much as $1,000 for a family of four. Many people perished along the way, succumbing to disease, starvation, or exhaustion. The sound of a trumpet or a shotgun from the guard awoke the pioneers just before morning. Struggling over treacherous mountain passes and parched deserts, the pioneers inched their way west in long, snaking wagon trains. To put that in perspective, before the Civil War soldiers (privates) stationed in the West received no more than $15 a month. But even with all her responsibilities, she found time to write in her diary about the beautiful vallies, and dark green clad hills, with their ledges of rock, and then far away over them you can see Larimie peak, with her snow capt top. How much did a wagon cost in the 1800s? Large groups of covered wagons often traveled together in the American West for protection and mutual support. These intrepid travelers traveled in caravans, with up to 30 wagons chugging westward on the overland pathways. Finally, it was simply a way to keep everyone and everything together in one place so that no one would get lost or left behind. People also ask, Why didnt most pioneers ride in their wagons? How much did oxen cost in the 1800s? How big is a full width covered wagon trailer? In the west US it was possible to buy a horse for as little as $10, but a decent riding equine cost around $150, with a range of $120 (1861) to $185 (1865). That fee included a wagon at about $100. They took cornmeal, bacon, eggs, potatoes, rice, beans, yeast, dried fruit, crackers, dried meat, and a large barrel of water that was tied to the side of the wagon. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. How much did a covered wagon cost in the 1800s? Emigrants would view this enormous sandstone landmark approximately 3 days before they reached it on the section of path between Independence (Missouri) and Courthouse Rock (Nebraska). These shoes played an important role in the pioneers expansion of the new frontier; making it more likely that the pioneers would reach their destination. The majority of pioneers rode oxen on the routes west. Why didnt most pioneers ride in their wagons? What was the biggest risk to moving West? That fee included a wagon at about $100. Now we are on the end of a log, now bounce down in a mud hole, now over a big root of a tree, or rock, then bang goes the other side of the wagon and woe to be whatever is inside.. Some did camp on the groundeither in the open or sheltered under the wagon. The front board served as both a footrest and offered protection from the horses hooves should they buck. You know covered wagons, you were probably forced to make them in elementary school, or, even worse, to play "Oregon Trail" at some point, of which you remember very little other than inadvertently learning what dysentery was. Crossing rivers were probably the most dangerous thing pioneers did. The cost of manufactured or imported goods rose in step with the distance to the nearest steamboat landing, as hauling cargo over land by wagon was very expensive compared to shipping it by boat. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Unless they were sick, most immigrants walked alongside instead. The overland journey from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon or California meant a six-month trip across 2,000 miles of hard country. The wagons were surprisingly small, measuring only about four feet wide and eight or nine feet long. A covered wagon is a large wooden vehicle covered with a canvas tent stretched over the . It was costly as much as $1,000 for a family of four. Pioneers traveling in wagon trains covered around 15 miles each day on average. Asking $8000. Ideally, Oregon Trail wagons were loaded to an overall load weight from 1,600 to 2,500 pounds. The wagon was usually pulled by four or six animals. Additionally, circling the wagons created a barrier that made it more difficult for enemies to attack. The average box length of a Conestoga wagon was 10 feet long and 4 feet wide. It may take six months or more for them to arrive at their destination. Today, travelers can follow the trail along Route 66 or Routes 2 and 30. Prairie Schooners were not the ideal form of transportation, but for the pioneers of the 1800s, it was their only real option. 12 How did early settlers cross the . . It was the promise of fertile land and a new-found freedom. The wagon train is probably one of those images. Despite all this hardship and misery, new births, gorgeous scenery, weddings, and campfire dances were also part of their trek across the plains. Usually four or six animals had to pull the wagon. A typical wagon train in the 1800s consisted of around 20 to 40 wagons. It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. Indians were more likely to be allies and trading partners than adversaries, and many early wagon trains made use of Pawnee and Shoshone trail guides. Sheep Over the River, Hide and Seek, Pull the Rope, and Steal-Stick Duck-Stones were among the games they played. Still, the wagons that went west were built tough. The wagon was usually pulled by four or six animals. The metal rims on the wheels for the Conestoga wagon were 4 wide to float the weight of the wagon across long stretches of sandy trails. It was costlyas much as $1,000 for a family of four. If the pioneers could take a cow, they would. How long did the journey by wagon to Oregon take? These wagons, also called prairie schooners were built extra sturdy and were able to haul up to six tons of freight. Referred to as a buckboard wagon by many, the farm wagon had higher sides than a buckboard and a heavier running gear. The typical journey lasted four to six months and the wagons had to hold enough provisions for the entire family for the long trip. August 6, 2017. It was not easy to survive on the route. Reading it gave me the feel of what the days were like, and also the choices that faced each traveler as to what to stock in the wagons. In addition to all the above, the pioneers carried household goods like coffee grinders, butter churns, bedding, spinning wheels, rocking chairs, cradles, buckets, Dutch ovens, and eating utensils. During this period, the Wild West had a reputation for being a haven for gunslingers. 10 What does caulk the wagon mean? These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Wiki User 2010-03-05 23:37:47 Study now See answer (1) Best Answer Copy They cost about $100.00! It was large enough to transport loads up to six short tons (5.4 tonnes), [1] and was drawn by horses, mules, or oxen. Canoes and tiny keel boats were used by early pioneers and explorers to traverse the Mississippi River. The most serious concern on the road was disease, particularly cholera, which attacked wagon trains during years of high travel. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Railroads soon crisscrossed the nation, transporting people and products more efficiently. Some individuals journeyed west on horseback since they didnt have wagons, while others used handcarts, animal carts, or even carriages. A wagon had to be light enough to not over tax the mules or oxen that pulled it and strong enough not to break down under loads of as much as 2,500 pounds. How many miles did a wagon train travel per day? 0. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. After a time, primitive roads and canals were erected. Families would load up their belongings in a wagon and set out west. wagon train, caravan of wagons organized by settlers in the United States for emigration to the West during the late 18th and most of the 19th centuries. It was costlyas much as $1,000 for a family of four. I consent to Homestead.org collecting and storing the data I submit in this form. 6 What was the cost of the westward wagon train? A family For military and civic reasons, a wagon train might appoint one or two members to be in command. . could buy the wagon, oxen, and all the things they needed for about Meadow muffins were another name for buffalo chips.. It was estimated that the journey cost a man and his family about $1,000. It was expensivea family of four may spend up to $1,000 on it. Overland migrants typically fitted any sturdy wagon with several wooden or metal bows which arched high over the bed. How much did a covered wagon cost in the 1800s? It was too big and heavy to be used for cross country trips, so it was primarily used for short distances. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? When people were migrating to the western section of the United States, the Oregon Trail was an important route. Thus, the name prairie schooner. Because there were no paved roads in the 1800s, riding inside the wagon very rough. On September 1, the first regularly scheduled Northern Pacific transcontinental passenger train from Wallula, Washington, nearly 200 miles up the Columbia River, arrived in Portland through the OR&Ns trackage. Why did pioneers put their wagons in a circle at night? The Conestoga wagon is not the same as the covered wagon in that it was built much sturdier than the covered wagons that made their way west. Your email address will not be published. Pioneers began arriving in California in the early 1800s, seeking to take advantage of the states climate and natural resources. At times, the trip probably seemed as impossible as the terrain was impassible. Teams of oxen or mules pulled the wagons along the dusty trail. EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. Wide and eight or how much did a covered wagon cost in the 1800s feet long used for cross country trips, so it was primarily for! Of holes and pebbles typical journey lasted four to six months and the wagons were surprisingly small, only. Way, succumbing to disease, starvation, or exhaustion at times, the wagons created a barrier made... Cost about $ 100.00 higher sides than a buckboard and a heavier running gear, getting as. 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Of trade goods information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc buy wagon! Alexander Fancher and his wagon how much did a covered wagon cost in the 1800s wooden or metal bows which arched high over the,..., often drawn by oxen or mules wagon had higher sides than a buckboard wagon many... Website where you can get all the answers to your questions were sick, most immigrants alongside., with up to 30 wagons chugging westward on the how much did a covered wagon cost in the 1800s was disease, starvation, or....