NOT YOUR AVERAGE LITTLE RED WAGON...

We interrupt

 our regularly scheduled broadcast

 to bring you this bulletin just in...

It is raining here at 8:30 am...

No, wait...

...it is snowing here at 10:00 am.

It started raining sometime

 while we were all tucked in bed 

and continued throughout the night

 and into the morning

 as the Captain was walking the dogs.

As we left the shelter around 10:00

 it started snowing 

and by the time we...

...stopped at Starbucks

 it was sticking.

When we arrived home

 this is what the front yard 

and the roof looked like.

View out of the parlor bay window.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

This is our No. 4 Roller Bearing

 Auto-Wheel Coaster wagon

 made by the Buffalo Sled Company,

 North Tonawanda, New York,

 in the early 1900's.

We traded this wagon 

around 45 years ago

 from an antiques dealer. 

 He asked the Captain to do some repair work for him

 and said he would trade us the wagon

 because he thought it was made

 out of pine and didn't want it.

 As it turned out the wagon

is made out of oak.

 Since that time

 it has been in use as our resident

 living room coffee table.

  It has seen a few transformations over time as to its appearance,

 and has always remained a subject of interest

 for all who see it.

All information and advertisements provided by Google, courtesy of the North Tonawanda History Museum.

The Buffalo Sled Company 

began operations in 1889 in Buffalo, New York

 and later moved to North Tonawanda, New York in 1904. 

 The company remained in operation at that site

 until a fire in 1920

 destroyed the wheel department and storehouses.

  They rebuilt and remained in business

 until filing bankruptcy in 1964. 

 In 1965, the company was operating 

under the name Auto Wheel Industries, 

and another fire in 1972,

 considered the worst in the city's history, demolished the building

 along with seven homes. 

 A preliminary investigation supported the theory 

that the fire was intentionally started.

The Auto Wheel Coaster Company 

was known through its entire 60 years of operation

 for its superior quality. 

 They made all of their products by hand

 and, for this reason, 

they eventually went out of business.

During it's lifetime the company sponsored many contests...

...and pictured many children

 having fun with the products.

  

Wagons were described as providing

three full seasons a year

 of boyish fun on four steel-tired,

 wooden-spoked wheels

 so like those on automobiles of the day

 that they gave the wagon its name...

A boy without an Auto-Wheel Coaster

 in those days

 couldn't have really lived.

...and did you notice 

that it is only marketed

 to the 'boys'?

I have always wondered

 how our wagon was used,

 how many little hands pulled it along

 by that handle, 

and could it have been a prize

 that was won in a contest...

...this is one wagon

 that was not won in a contest. 

 This one was hand made by my dad. 

 He made it out of an old wooden box

 and wheels

 for his dog, Brownie, to pull.

  Here they both are shown,

 probably around 1920. 

 I wish I could say

 that I had the wagon now.

I mentioned before 

that our wagon has gone through some transformations

 over the years.

It was just a plain wagon 

when we purchased it 

and we used it as a coffee table,

 holding magazines and the occasional jug of flowers. 

 It collected more magazines

 then we had first intended 

plus crumbs from various snacks...

...so we added 

a piece of glass on top

 and that seemed to collect mostly fingerprints 

so for use in the new 

'work in progress' sitting room, 

the Captain added a top

 of left over wainscotting

 that was used in another project

 at the Cottage.

I love how it turned out. 

 It looks like it was made for the wagon

 and reminds me

 of an old luggage transporter

 awaiting duty at

 the train depot.

I can't wait until it is ready for the reveal...

...just a small hint...stay tuned.

...Judy...

By the time I finished this post...

...look at the poor lilacs,

But,

 I'm not complaining.

Sharing today at:

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