What type wagon wheel would this have been on....?
Finding lots of cast iron rusted ax and hoe heads, and lots of square nails........... among other things. Too many for just one family. Slave quarters/old store/stage stop. Maybe a dump of some kind ......everything broke! Just this one found so far.......still looking!
Not sure, but it looks like a wheel rim off of a Army transport wagon. Perhaps a "Conestoga".
The first record of a Conestoga Wagon in America was from 1717.
A brief discription:
The Conestoga wagon was cleverly built. Its floor curved upward to prevent the contents from tipping and shifting. The average Conestoga wagon was 18 feet long, 11 feet high, and 4 feet in width. It could carry up to 12,000 pounds of cargo. The cracks in the body of the wagon were stuffed with tar to protect them from leaking while crossing rivers. Also for protection against bad weather, stretched across the wagon was a tough, white canvas cover. The frame and suspension were made of wood, while the wheels were often iron-rimmed for greater durability. Water barrels built on the side of the wagon held water, and toolboxes held tools needed for repair on the wagon. Also, the feedbox on the back of the wagon was used to feed the horses. The Conestoga wagon was used for many types of travel including passage to California during the Gold Rush.
From the Spanish Moss behind you, I'm guessing that you're in SC, (or at least the SouthEast). So, you could be looking at anywhere from the Revolution, up through
the Civil War. Which would make it an incredible find!!
Let me see if I can attach this photo from the Army Museum.
Eagle
I believe I will understand women
long before I understand Mankind!
Eagle, (2011)
What are being called "rims," are actually iron tires. It's a tire off of a wooden spooked wheel. Why is it so tall? I often wonder about that, then one day I stumbled onto this. There were times back in those olden days when the roads were really poor, that a wagon needed to side hill. Mostly the wagons were built narrow and tended to be tall, so when having to travel a side hill, they tended to tip over. Out west you see many places where the road went straight up and over the hill, and straight down the other side. With the tall rear wheels and the small front wheels, when it was necessary to travel a side hill, the back wheel on the uphill side was removed and traded with the small wheel in front. Bingo, you got a side hill wagon.
Not sure, but it looks like a wheel rim off of a Army transport wagon. Perhaps a "Conestoga".
The first record of a Conestoga Wagon in America was from 1717.
A brief discription:
The Conestoga wagon was cleverly built. Its floor curved upward to prevent the contents from tipping and shifting. The average Conestoga wagon was 18 feet long, 11 feet high, and 4 feet in width. It could carry up to 12,000 pounds of cargo. The cracks in the body of the wagon were stuffed with tar to protect them from leaking while crossing rivers. Also for protection against bad weather, stretched across the wagon was a tough, white canvas cover. The frame and suspension were made of wood, while the wheels were often iron-rimmed for greater durability. Water barrels built on the side of the wagon held water, and toolboxes held tools needed for repair on the wagon. Also, the feedbox on the back of the wagon was used to feed the horses. The Conestoga wagon was used for many types of travel including passage to California during the Gold Rush.
From the Spanish Moss behind you, I'm guessing that you're in SC, (or at least the SouthEast). So, you could be looking at anywhere from the Revolution, up through
the Civil War. Which would make it an incredible find!!
Let me see if I can attach this photo from the Army Museum.
Eagle
Thanks Eagle pic of the wagon came through good...........looking close at the iron on it to see if i can compare these iron parts to what i have been finding..nothing stands out just yet........you know of a website that would show just the iron parts themselves?. Actually am located in SouthEast Texas.that Spanish Moss is everywhere on these trees around here, maybe 100 miles from the Gulf in Lavaca County. This site is no more than 1/2 mile from "Navidad" river, and nothing but "Sand"...and deep! No top soil or clay to speak of . Am thinking of whoever was here , they used this wheel as a "fire ring"...............bits of charcoal, old broken glass, and parts of a iron wood stove found in the middle of it.
[quote=BosnMate ]
What are being called "rims," are actually iron tires. It's a tire off of a wooden spooked wheel. Why is it so tall? I often wonder about that, then one day I stumbled onto this. There were times back in those olden days when the roads were really poor, that a wagon needed to side hill. Mostly the wagons were built narrow and tended to be tall, so when having to travel a side hill, they tended to tip over. Out west you see many places where the road went straight up and over the hill, and straight down the other side. With the tall rear wheels and the small front wheels, when it was necessary to travel a side hill, the back wheel on the uphill side was removed and traded with the small wheel in front. Bingo, you got a side hill wagon.
[/quote.........Now Bosn'.......that makes sense.........never heard of that." Interesting". Trying to study on this terrain out here..........no high hills .....just slightly sloping. No rocks or even a pebble have I found. Nothing but "Sand"..........and folks around here call it "sugar sand".,more like beach sand, but not course. In fact .....dry months you can actually get "stuck" in this stuff. Just can't figure out how these old pioneers traversed this country with those iron wheels like that. Not a sign of an old road of any kind anywhere.......just out in the open maybe half mile from river, with sand banks. Read what i sent to eagle for some more info as to location.
Thanks Eagle pic of the wagon came through good...........looking close at the iron on it to see if i can compare these iron parts to what i have been finding..nothing stands out just yet........you know of a website that would show just the iron parts themselves?. Actually am located in SouthEast Texas.that Spanish Moss is everywhere on these trees around here, maybe 100 miles from the Gulf in Lavaca County. This site is no more than 1/2 mile from "Navidad" river, and nothing but "Sand"...and deep! No top soil or clay to speak of . Am thinking of whoever was here , they used this wheel as a "fire ring"...............bits of charcoal, old broken glass, and parts of a iron wood stove found in the middle of it.
[/quote]
Oops, my bad!
I was born in FL and use to seeing the moss in the SE. I forgot that TX also borders the Gulf Coast.
Anyway, I don't know a lot about them, other than what I've read over the years. BosnMate is right
about the rim being called tires, (correct nominclature).
You might check for rusted off bolts on the face of the tire. If a wheel got smashed too bad to
use without major repairs, it wasn't unheard of to take the tire off, make temporary repairs, then put
the tire back on. Also, at times, the bolts and tire would wear down so much that it had to be replaced.
So, they would knock the bolts out and slip a new tire on, then bolt it back on to keep it from slipping off.
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So, you could be looking at anywhere from the Revolution, up through
Originally Posted by jeff of pa
