Pioneer WagonsBuilt to Travel the Plains

Covered Wagon-a wagon that is pulled by oxen or horse that has a canvas top. These

wagons were used to carry a family and their belongings.

• Bolster (supported the wagon bed)

• Canvas cover • Feed box (for horses,

oxen) • Grease bucket (held

grease for wheels)• Wagon tongue• Iron tire, hub, spokes • Jockey box (held

tools)• Reach (pole joining

the rear axle to the bolster)

• Wagon box (held provisions)

• Wagon bed • Bow (holds up Canvas

Wagon tongue: a long and narrow piece of wood that connected the oxen to the wagon

Farm Wagons Sides of the wagon were straight up

and down The load was tight, so it did not shift Could haul 1600 to 2500 pounds Bows reached 5 feet above head-

used to protect things in wagon Canopy of canvas-type material The length of the top was 12-13 feet These wagons were lighter and

could turn easier, but they could not hold as much as other wagons

‘Roadometer’

William Clayton

May 11, 1847 "Brother Appleton Harmon is working at the machinery for the wagon to tell the

distance we travel and expects to have it in operation tomorrow, which will save me the trouble of counting, as I have done, during the last four days."

May 12, 184  "Morning cool, weather fine. Brother Appleton Harmon has completed the

machinery on the wagon so far that I shall only have to count the number of miles, instead of the revolution of the wagon wheel."

May 16, 1847 "About noon today Brother Appleton Harmon completed the machinery on the

wagon called a 'roadometer' by adding a wheel to revolve once in ten miles, showing each mile and also each quarter mile we travel, and then casing the whole over so as to secure it from the weather."

(William Clayton Dairy, 1847, microfilm of holograph, LDS Church Archives.)