Chuckwagon
The Chuckwagon (also Chuck Wagon - German: Verpflegungswagen) was a horse-drawn wagon or covered wagon that was carried by cowboys and woodcutters during their work to feed the crew and transport equipment during the late 19th and early 20th centuries . A chuckwagon could also accompany settler trains moving to the western United States . Chuck was a slang term for food and board in the times of the Wild West .
history
The invention of the chuck wagon is attributed to Charles Goodnight , a Texas rancher who introduced the concept in 1866. He had an army vehicle converted to meet the needs of the cowboy teams. During the journey, the equipment was stowed in the car and the food was stored in a large wooden box. The tarpaulin protected the load from the weather. Drinking water barrels were attached to the sides of the car.
The chuckwagon was mostly driven by a cook who was responsible for the catering of the workers, the kitchen fire and also for the medical care of the cowboys. Similar to a construction trailer , the wagon formed the team’s central camp. Long-lasting foods such as beans and cured meat were usually carried along. Fresh food was provided at various supply stations along the way.
Perhaps inspired by the chuckwagon, mobile kitchens and catering vehicles were later also used in the military (→ field cooker ).
Since 2005, the Chuckwagon is the official state vehicle ( Engl. Official state vehicle ) of the US state of Texas. The state symbols of Texas also include several typical ingredients in Chuckwagon cuisine.
Sports
Nowadays, rodeo competitions also include chuckwagon races, in which the wagons have to be driven around obstacles as quickly as possible without knocking them over.
Web links
- American Chuckwagon Association website (accessed June 8, 2014)
- Article on the history of the Chuck Wagon and its cultural significance for Texas (accessed June 8, 2014)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b The Chuck Wagon on statesymbolsusa.org (accessed June 8, 2014).