ca. 1910
The log wagon was a heavy carriage used for hauling logs from the cutting site. The logs were placed on bunks, also called false bolsters, and attached over the regular bolsters, which were normally used to carry the body of the wagon. The bunks usually raised the load higher than the tops of the wheels and in some cases extended over the wheels to allow the loggers to roll the logs off the side while unloading. Many loggers of this time period would actually have competitions to see who could load the most poundage onto their wagons.
One other means to transport lumber harvests were log wheels. These were a large pair of wheels, 8 feet or more in diameter, with axle and pole. The wheels were placed astraddle the log, near its center, and with the pole raised to a vertical position. The log, or logs were chained to the axle at a point on the center of the axle so that when the pole was pulled down to a horizontal position, the logs were raised off the ground; if supported slightly off center, the rear ends of the logs would trail on the ground.
This wagon was found in an ad in the Draft Horse Journal. It was originally bought by Tom Warren in May 1980, and the U.C. Sterquell accompanied him to Minnesota near the Canadian border to pick up the wagon. Mr. Sterquell later chose to buy the wagon from Mr. Warren and add it to the Sterquell collection permanently. The restoration of the wagon only involved some minor repairs. Since it was acquired only 100 miles from the Canadian border, it is believed to have been used in the early 20th century when logging was heaviest.