It is about 4½ inches long and consists of three ornaments dangling from each other by gold cord. The first ornament is a 1¼ by 1¼ inch Conestoga Wagon with gold wheel rims and tan canvas top decorated with red chili peppers. The second is a tan Cowboy Hat with dark red and white striped band decorated with dark red Chili Peppers. The third is a brown Cowboy vest with fringe across the front, a silver star and a red bandana. Select this link to view our Western Christmas Ornaments.
The Conestoga Wagon.
The first Conestoga wagons appeared in Pennsylvania around 1725 and are thought to have been introduced by Mennonite German settlers in that area. In colonial times the conestoga wagon was popular for migration southward through the Great Appalachian Valley along the Great Wagon Road. After the American Revolution it was used to open up commerce to Pittsburgh and Ohio. In 1820 rates charged were roughly one dollar per 100 pounds per 100 miles, with speeds about 15 miles per day. The Conestoga, often in long wagon trains, was the primary overland freight vehicle over the Appalachians until the development of the railroad. Subsequently it played a role in Western settlement, especially on the Santa Fe Trail, where ox and mule teams could pull its vast cargo with fewer water stops. The Conestoga wagon is a significant historical item that was used extensively during the United States’ westward expansion in the late 1700s and 1800s. If it had not been for the Studebaker and Conestoga wagons, the Westward Expansion would have been greatly slowed for lack of transportation. Select this link to view our Western Wolf Dangling Ornament.
The Conestoga wagon was cleverly built. Its floor curved upward to prevent the contents from tipping and shifting. Also for protection against bad weather, stretched across the wagon was a tough, white canvas cover. It was 16.5 feet in length and 4.5 feet in width. Select this link to view our Chili Pepper and Saddle Dangling Ornament.
Wagon Trains.
A wagon train consists of a long chain of wagons moving together and forming a line. Wagon trains were common in the Old West. A wagon train allowed pioneers to travel together for safety and supply sharing. Select this link to view our Dangling Cowboy Outfit.
When wagon trains travel, a chuck wagon is included for meals and carrying supplies from one destination to another. At night time, wagon trains were often formed into a circle, for defensive purposes, for shelter from weather and to put the animals that pulled the wagons in the center to prevent them from running away. Today, covered wagon trains are used to give an authentic experience for those desiring to explore the West as it was in the days of the pioneers and other groups traveling before modern vehicles were invented. Select this link to view our Cowboy on His Horse.