Tag: covered wagons

Building a chuck wagon at Escondido history center!

The Escondido History Center is always full of surprises!

Imagine my own surprise today when I discovered guys building an old-fashioned chuck wagon at the history center’s Bandy Blacksmith & Wheelwright Shop!

The retired volunteers, working on the project, let me step into the wheelwright shop to see exactly what they’re up to.

Check it out! The chuck wagon is being built from scratch and will be faithful to designs used over a century ago in the Old West. They hope to have it ready in time for Escondido’s 2025 Grape Day Festival, which will take place this September in Grape Day Park.

A chuck wagon is a horse-drawn wagon operating as a mobile field kitchen….They were included in wagon trains for settlers and traveling workers such as cowboys or loggers…

As you can see from my photos, this wagon is going to be awesome when finally completed!

First, here’s the old blacksmith and wagonworks building on the Escondido History Center‘s Heritage Walk, where the chuck wagon is being built…

Next is an old photo of a typical chuck wagon (without its cloth covering).

The guys working in Escondido will create a covering for their chuck wagon using duck cloth. You can see how the rear of the old chuck wagon in the photo has compartments used for storing food and cooking materials.

Now, inside the busy wheelwright shop today…

In the next photo, the wooden section that folds down near the front of the wagon is the foot board. The wagon’s seat will be mounted there behind it.

Next is the chuck box, which will be mounted to the rear of the chuck wagon. The combined cupboard and fold-down workspace stores cooking utensils, spices, and essential ingredients for cooking out in the field.

(Think of an old-fashioned tailgate party–featuring baked beans!)

The box-like pan boot is mounted under the chuck box. It typically held pots and pans and other cooking necessities such as a Dutch oven…

The opposite side of the chuck wagon under construction appears slightly different…

A barrel for water or other “liquid refreshment” will be mounted to this side!

The adjacent Penner Barn had its door opened by one of the friendly guys so I could take a peek inside…

The chuck wagon’s undercarriage is ready to go!

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Mountain men, a gunsmith and a blacksmith.

Two rugged mountain men, one with a fiddle, hang out behind Seeley Stable at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.
Two rugged mountain men, one with a fiddle, hang out behind Seeley Stable in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.

Here are some cool photos of what life was like back in the Old West. I snapped these last weekend behind Seeley Stable at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. Some mountain men, a gunsmith and blacksmith were showing visitors a few aspects of frontier life long ago.

Beyond this gate just off La Plaza de Las Armas is the yard behind Seeley Stable. Here you'll find outdoor exhibits, including old wagons and a blacksmith and woodshop.
Beyond this gate just off La Plaza de Las Armas is the yard behind Seeley Stable. Here you’ll find outdoor exhibits, including old wagons and a blacksmith and woodshop.

A gun smith who assembles his own old-fashioned rifles and firearms shows a visitor some examples in San DIego's historic Old Town.
A gunsmith who assembles his own old-fashioned rifles and firearms shows a visitor some examples in San Diego’s historic Old Town.

This antique flintlock pistol would have been used in past centuries for personal protection at close range.
This antique flintlock pistol would have been used in past centuries for personal protection at close range.

Another friendly mountain man had a table full of skins, knives and other objects associated with frontier life in the Old West.
A friendly mountain man had a table full of skins, knives and other objects associated with frontier life in the Old West.

A demonstration of how trappers in the Old West would set a beaver trap by a river and anchor it to a strong stick in the mud.
A demonstration of how trappers in the Old West would set a beaver trap by a river and anchor it to a strong stick in the mud.

This rusty tool with a long handle is a tyre shrinker. It was used for routine maintenance in the olden days--reducing the diameter of the iron tyres found on wooden wagon, cart and buggy wheels.
This rusty tool with a long handle is a tyre shrinker. It was used for routine maintenance in the olden days–reducing the diameter of the iron tyres found on wooden wagon, cart and buggy wheels.

Someone reads a sign near a tyre bender. This device was used to send long, flat bars of iron or steel into a smooth circle that would become an iron tyre.
Someone reads a sign near a tyre bender. This device was used to send long, flat bars of iron or steel into a smooth circle that would become an iron tyre.

An old covered wagon on display behind Seeley Stable. They were typically sturdy farm wagons with a canvas top. Covered wagons were used on trail drives and cross-country treks.
An old covered wagon on display behind Seeley Stable. They were typically sturdy farm wagons with a canvas top. Covered wagons were used on trail drives and cross-country treks.

Photo inside the well-equipped blacksmith exhibit. It's located behind Seeley Stable at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.
Photo inside the well-equipped blacksmith shop. It’s located behind Seeley Stable in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.

Some park visitors look into the small blacksmith building.
Some park visitors look into the small blacksmith building.

A blacksmith removes red hot iron from the fire. He was demonstrating how to make hinges today.
A blacksmith removes red hot iron from the fire. He was demonstrating how to make hinges today!

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Seeley Stable’s stagecoaches and freight wagons.

Front of the Seeley Stable Museum in Old Town.
Front of the Seeley Stable Museum in Old Town San Diego.

Perhaps my favorite part of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park is the Seeley Stable Museum.

The huge old barn and surrounding area were once owned by Albert Seeley, who ran the San Diego-Los Angeles Stage Line from 1868 to 1877.  His Concord stagecoaches left San Diego at 5 am, stopped overnight at San Juan Capistrano, and arrived in Los Angeles at 4 pm the next day.  Eventually competition with the railroad put him out of business.

Sign on the Blacksmith Shop behind Seeley Stable.
Sign on the Blacksmith Shop behind Seeley Stable.

Behind the Seeley Stable is a cool blacksmith shop, where tourists can watch skilled hobbyists demonstrate the shaping of red hot iron.   The hammers ring loudly and the sparks fly!  Unfortunately it wasn’t open the day I took these photos.

Covered wagon, anvils and relics of the Old West behind Seeley Stable.
Covered wagon, anvils and relics of the Old West behind Seeley Stable.

Across from the blacksmith you’ll find this.  Very cool!

Several unrestored wagons.
Several unrestored wagons.

Peering through old wagon wheels.
Peering through old wagon wheels.

Donkey awaits young visitors to historic Seeley Stable.
Donkey awaits young visitors to historic Seeley Stable.

On the south side of the stable you’ll find a couple of donkeys, which are used by park rangers to teach children about life in the Old West.

Stagecoach from the Los Angeles and San Diego route.
Concord stagecoach from the Los Angeles to San Diego route.

Finally, we’re inside the museum!  You can see many different wagons and stagecoaches inside the dark old barn, plus other artifacts from life one and a half centuries ago.

Museum display with horse and saddles recreates the old stable.
Museum display with horse and saddles recreates the old stable.

Huge freight wagon on display at Seeley Stable.
Huge freight wagon on display at Seeley Stable.

Old Wells Fargo wagon once used to transport the mail.
Old Wells Fargo wagon once used to transport the mail.

Old Town San Diego park ranger chats with ticket window lady.
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park ranger chats with friendly lady at the ticket window.

The Seeley Stable Museum is free!

UPDATE!

Here are a few more interesting and informative photos that I took inside the museum in August 2017…

Roscoe E. "Pappy" Hazard was a developer and rancher who collected stagecoaches, carriages and wagons from the Old West. Many are displayed in Seeley Stable.
Roscoe E. “Pappy” Hazard was a developer and rancher who collected stagecoaches, carriages and wagons from the Old West. Many are displayed today in Old Town’s Seeley Stable Museum.

In 1869, Albert L. Seeley transformed the nearby Bandini adobe into the two-story Cosmopolitan Hotel, which became Old Town's stage depot and social center.
In 1869, Albert L. Seeley transformed the nearby Bandini adobe into the two-story Cosmopolitan Hotel, which became Old Town’s stage depot and social center.

Photo of Seeley Stable's barn and yard taken from Presidio Hill in 1872. The Cosmopolitan Hotel can be seen on the right.
Photo of Seeley Stable’s barn and yard taken from Presidio Hill in 1872. The Cosmopolitan Hotel can be seen on the right.

Map shows important stagecoach routes, including the Butterfield Overland, and the Birch's Line from San Antonio to San Diego.
Map shows important stagecoach routes, including the Butterfield Overland, and the Birch’s Line from San Antonio to San Diego.

Signs and old photos concerning freight wagons in the Old West, which often employed large teams of mules.
Signs and old photos concerning freight wagons in the Old West, which often employed large teams of mules.

Spaniards introduced mules to America along with the horse. Hardy pack mules were used by trappers to haul furs, and by gold miners to move supplies and equipment.
Spaniards introduced mules to America along with the horse. Hardy pack mules were used by trappers to haul furs, and by gold miners to move supplies and equipment.

This delivery wagon was brought to San Diego by Frank Kimball in 1868. It was used to show passengers land that he had for sale in National City.
This delivery wagon was brought to San Diego by Frank Kimball in 1868. It was used to show passengers land that he had for sale in National City.

This old Park Wagon was used by rancher Walter Vail. He owned land in Arizona, Santa Rosa island off the coast of California, and Warner's Ranch northeast of San Diego.
This old Park Wagon was used by cattle rancher Walter Vail. He owned a land in Arizona, Santa Rosa island off the coast of California, and Warner’s Ranch northeast of San Diego.

How part of the stable might have once appeared. Stable hands had many chores, including feeding, watering and grooming animals, and cleaning stalls.
How a corner of the stable might have once appeared. Stable hands had many chores, including feeding, watering and grooming animals, and cleaning stalls.

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