Handcarts 1800 - 1860

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Mormon Handcart ... Save your back guys

Here's an item that is correct for the Fur Trade. For thirty years we broke our back's carrying our loads of goods to the different rendezvous' and encampments. Then a buckskinner friend from Utah showed up with a 'handcart' (we questioned whether it was correct for the Fur Trade). Turns out the Mormons were using these carts in the mid to late 1840's. The next gathering I attended there were more 'handcarts'. I got to play with one at this event and I was sold, contacted my friend in Utah and ordered one for our small group of AMM brothers. What a wonderful item to have on hand for us older members.


HANDCARTS

Many different people have had and used handcarts throughout the centuries before the tool came to the new world as a means of moving goods from one place to another. And, of course, the handcart experience is the least expensive and least complicated for a pioneer to reproduce and therefore the most common way for treks, both in the western United States and elsewhere. When it comes to historical accuracy while discussing the handcart and those that used them.

In many ways, handcarts have come to symbolize the Mormon pioneer experience. There are a few reasons for this. With the tragic experiences of the Willie and Martin handcart companies of 1856, the handcart companies are among the easiest group of pioneers to dramatize. c Latter-day Saint youth to reenact Mormon pioneer treks, both in the western United States and elsewhere. While retelling and experiencing this tool can be good, there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to historical accuracy while discussing the handcart pioneers.

Interesting (the carts really got my attention), well built and able to carry heavy loads long distances. These would work very nicely for today's rendezvous, saving ones back ...


Many of the better advertised (organized) events (rendezvous, encampments, period gathering) have started to go back to the old rules of having the parking lots a mile back out of sight from their event.

This means your going to have to pack your equipage from the parking lot to your camp site (going in and coming out). That's blows a half day for portage and setup or take down. Not counting the aches and pains felt the next day ... We have done this back in the 70's through the 90's more than once.


This would be an easy cart to build and think of the back aches you could save over doing it the old way of many trips being carried on one's back. Several guys could have their gear loaded and be period correct ...



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