Reviving the Past.....

This 1895 Springboard Wagon was found 2 years ago at an auction over by Randolph, Nebraska.  It was in very rough condition with dry, rotted wheels.  Restoring it came about by pure accident.  A very good friend of mine made the comment, "I fail to see the beauty in this wagon".  I thought I would very much like to prove her wrong.  And so began the summer long task of bringing it back to life. 

First, the wheels came off and new ones were made by a wheelwright in central Nebraska.  He made the new wheels out of oak and mounted them on new axles.  These wheels have roller bearings, which mean that you do not have to grease them too often.  Next, the box was removed from the under carriage.  And the tedious task of restoring the metal parts began.  After many hours of removing the rust, the metal was primed and painted a beautiful satin black.  The under carriage wood and wheels were stained and then sealed.

Finally, the box was sanded, stained and sealed.  The seat was painted and a new upholstery job was finished.  The wagon was put back together and a driving horse was purchased from an Amish family.  For being a woman and not having a clue about the horse drawn vehicles of yesterday, this one did not turn out too bad!