Morristown in Hamblen County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
Conestoga Wagon
Photographed By Tom Bosse, September 22, 2018
1. Conestoga Wagon Marker
Inscription.
Conestoga Wagon. . It took Virginia and North Carolina settlers from 1607 until almost 1750 to settle as far as the Appalachians. The surge of road building between 1790 and 1840 made the Trans Allegheny accessible for further settling. During this time, development of the Conestoga wagon in Pennsylvania helped spur travel and settlement. The wagon, developed in Conestoga Valley in Lancaster, Pennsylvania was able to carry large loads. Better roads had to be built to accommodate this advancement in transportation. The Conestoga wagon was 16 feet/4.9 meters long and was 4 feet/1.2 meters wide. It had 6-inch/15.24-centimeter to 1-inch/2.5-centimeter wide wheels, sometimes banded with iron rims. Wooden staves were bent in arcs over the wagon. Canvas cloth was stretched over the staves. The wagon bed was shaped like a john boat with the ends higher than the middle to keep goods from falling out on steep hills. Able to carry up to 8 tons/7.3 metric tons, covered wagons were used by people who settled from the Appalachians to California.
It took Virginia and North Carolina settlers from 1607 until almost 1750 to settle as far as the Appalachians. The surge of road building between 1790 and 1840 made the Trans Allegheny accessible for further settling. During this time, development of the Conestoga wagon in Pennsylvania helped spur travel and settlement. The wagon, developed in Conestoga Valley in Lancaster, Pennsylvania was able to carry large loads. Better roads had to be built to accommodate this advancement in transportation. The Conestoga wagon was 16 feet/4.9 meters long and was 4 feet/1.2 meters wide. It had 6-inch/15.24-centimeter to 1-inch/2.5-centimeter wide wheels, sometimes banded with iron rims. Wooden staves were bent in arcs over the wagon. Canvas cloth was stretched over the staves. The wagon bed was shaped like a john boat with the ends higher than the middle to keep goods from falling out on steep hills. Able to carry up to 8 tons/7.3 metric tons, covered wagons were used by people who settled from the Appalachians to California.
Location. 36° 13.283′ N, 83° 16.047′ W. Marker is in Morristown, Tennessee, in Hamblen County. Marker can be reached from Morningside
Click or scan to see this page online
Drive, on the right when traveling east. Marker is located at the Crockett Tavern Museum. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Morristown TN 37814, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 26, 2018. It was originally submitted on November 20, 2018, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 329 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 20, 2018, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
