Above: California cart(left), sheepwagon(center), chuck wagon(right).
Right: Chuck wagon on a roundup, Arrowwood, Alberta, c. 1918 |
Many
unique types of horse-drawn vehicles were used by the farmers and
ranchers of the Great Plains region of North America. One example
is the sheepwagon which served as a mobile home for shepherds during
the grazing season. In the summer, often shepherd's families would
join them. They would then move from one grazing area to another while
living in a wagon outfitted in much the same way as today's recreational
vehicles.
Another type
is the California cart, a durable and versatile vehicle suited to
the rough and often roadless terrain of rural areas. The high-wheeled
rugged cart was just what the ranchers needed. There was even room
for food, supplies and bedrolls.
Perhaps the
best known, however, is the chuck wagon, used as a portable kitchen
on cattle drives and roundups. This was where 'Cookie' dished up
his tasty meals, where cowboys could catch up on the news, roll
a quick smoke and spread their bedrolls at night.
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