Conestogas were horse-drawn freight wagons that originated in the Conestoga River region of Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County around 1725. Built by Mennonite German craftsmen, these large, striking wagons were pulled by teams of six horses and carried up to eight tons of farm produce or manufactured goods. White hoods of homespun or canvas protected the goods from weather. Railroads eventually replaced Conestoga wagon trains. The smaller “prairie schooner,” famed for ferrying countless pioneer families to the West, was based on the conestoga design.
Conestoga Ranch’s wagons are based on traditional conestoga designs and were built by our own team of skilled craftsmen.