ca. 1870
The chuck wagon was first developed by Charles Goodnight in 1866 for use on cattle drives. It was made from an old Army supply wagon and it was fitted to work as a mobile kitchen. A chuck box was constructed at the rear with supply drawers and a back “tailgate” that could be let down to make a work counter. The cook or camp cookie, who was often an older or injured cowhand, drove ahead of the herd early in the morning to have the noon meal ready for the cowboys. On the typical cattle drive there were 1,000 head of cattle, 15 cowboys, 100 horses, and a chuck wagon with the cook and any needed helpers. On some drives there was also a hooligan wagon which would carry tools and other supplies. Of the typical drovers, or cattle herders, one in six was black or Hispanic. Many were Civil War veterans of both sides and made about 10 dollars a month for their trouble. This led to only one out of three to sign back up for a second cattle drive.
The chuck wagon was an adaptation on the Army supply wagon. Some of its relatives include the freight wagon, the covered wagon, and the Conestoga wagon. The chuck wagon was also known as a round up wagon.
This wagon came to the Sterquell Collection in two pieces. The first part, the body, came from the Phillips Ranch in Pampa, Texas and the second part, the wheels, came from the Fench Ranch in Dalhart, Texas both at undocumented dates. This chuck wagon was completely rebuilt and refurnished by Mr. Sterquell.