Of the many restorations that Kathy Christensen of Midwest Buggy has taken part in, the following two historic restorations are among the most special. If you are interested in a wagon restoration, please contact Kathy at info@midwestbuggy.com.

"From its inception as a French trading post in 1764, Saint Louis, Missouri was destined to be more than just another river town. The position of this ‘Gateway to the West’ on the Mississippi, along with its proximity to the Missouri river, made it a natural setting for some of the most recognized western vehicle makers in America.Joseph Murphy, Louis Espenschied, Phillip Weber, Caspar Gestring, John Henry Luedinghaus and Henry Damme all called the city home. So strong was the area’s draw to vehicle builders that even at the turn of the 20th century, there were still nearly 200 carriage and wagon makers/repairers in St. Louis. Among those already mentioned was the Linstroth Wagon Company. Established in 1849, John Linstroth’s brand was one of the regions oldest and was still listed in period directories into the 1940’s." - Read the full article at Wheels That Won The West

"Mitchell. It's a name well known among western vehicle fans. As our current "Featured Vehicle," this near-pristine Mitchell brand farm wagon is a rarity today, still boasting the majority of its original paint, pin striping, and selling dealer signage."

"With high, 52" rear wheels, a 38" wide box, and original brake, it is currently undergoing a transformation into a competitive chuckwagon by Kathy Christensen of Midwest Buggy in Lockney, Texas. According to Christensen, "Mitchell has a great western history and strong reputation. Combined with the excellent condition and originality of this wagon, we're looking forward to a great season of chuckwagon competitions." - Read the full article at Wheels That Won the West.

While many vintage wagons are comprised of a matching box and gear of the same brand, occasionally the end user or retailer would mix and match primary pieces with what they had on hand. This Rhoads box & Birdsell gear is an example of that practice...

Shortly after the Birdsell Manufacturing Company ventured into wagon building during the late 1880's, the Rhoads Wagon Works was formed in Anderson, Indiana. For private vehicle collectors on the trail of 19th and early 20th century wagons, finding those in the centenarian class has become an increasingly difficult task. The Rhoads brand box on this wagon is estimated to date somewhere between the late 1890's and 1910. Numerous features on the box point to earlier production styles of wagon makers. One of the most noticeable distinctions here are the multi-colored, "splashy" paint designs. At first glance, this hand painted style may seem somewhat out of place or even gaudy. It is, however, very typical of the efforts early wagon makers used to draw attention and interest to their products. Later 20th century wagon painting was almost exclusively relegated to simple, utilitarian-influenced pin striping with basic, stenciled names and logos. Occasionally, a larger maker might use a more elaborate, pre-printed art transfer in applying the logo to the box or rear axle but, most often, later production-oriented efficiencies demanded construction techniques that kept overhead costs to a minimum. Certainly, collector quality wagons with hand painted brand names, intricate pin striping and other art patterns are few and far between for most 21st century collectors...

(Excerpts taken from the recent book, Rhoads/Birdsell - Collector's Edition Volume 1 - used with permission from Wheels That Won The West® Publishing). Filled with rare imagery, information and details not found in other contemporary resources, these exclusive works are limited to just 250 signed/numbered copies of each volume. Contact us today to help secure your personal copy of each of these hardbound, coffee-table-quality publications. Numerous additional volumes profiling the most legendary farm, freight, ranch, coach and military vehicle makers in 19th & 20th century America are already in production. Don't delay as quantities are extremely limited and these works are destined to become some of the most sought after publications for any horse drawn vehicle enthusiast, collector, historian or fan of the Old West.