There were times when our earliest ancestors traversed the fields and forests of New England with nothing but a small pack containing items necessary for basic survival. There were no roads or railroads and there were no stage coaches allowing for effortless travel. Our early ancestors in and about the Concord area simply traveled by foot or in a canoe on the many streams and rivers.
As residents of Concord, we are all aware of our legacy surrounding the famous Concord Coach as well as the positive impact it made on travel around the world. It was simply innovative with options that provided comfort and safety. The fact is the Concord Coach was the end result of development for a long line or earlier wagons that existed years earlier in both America and Europe.
The first coaches were made across the ocean in England around the year 1555. The common people were not likely to own an elaborate coach but people of means enjoyed the freedom of riding in a coach as well as employing a gentleman to maintain a fine stable along with the operation and upkeep of the coach. As the colonies were evolving in America there were no coaches and the average people were forced to move all of their goods from the docks where they arrived to the homes they were destined to rent or work in as domestic servants. Typically, those arriving in the ports of Boston or New York would be fortunate to have one chest to store all that they owned while many only owned the clothing they wore or the dreams stored in their shallow pockets.
With the need to transport freight and common goods, our ancestors in Pennsylvania developed crude wagons and eventually perfected a wagon that was both practical and welcomed by our ancestors. This wagon became known as the Conestoga Wagon, named for the vicinity where they were originally used in Pennsylvania. The Conestoga Wagon was viewed as a superior freight carrier and constructed in the style of a boat, allowing for goods to be stored securely inside and not shifting about during travel. They were the preferred wagon for most terrains showing adaptability over mountains because of their ability to preserve their cargo and could hold from four to six tons when pulled by a team of four to twelve horses.
As our Continental Army marched off to war against the British troops it was the Conestoga Wagons they used for transportation in their efforts to win the Revolutionary War. The weary soldiers were able to march alongside the wagons that contained all of their food and supplies, oftentimes hitching a cannon to the back of the wagon as they traveled.
As the years progressed and the Conestoga Wagon remained in use it continued to adapt and evolve, with westward travel many Conestoga Wagons traveled from the east coast to the west coast transporting the settler’s belongings as well as family members. With the travel west, the Conestoga affectionately became known as a prairie schooner for all the many obstacles it encountered across America.
With commerce and travel growing in America the ever-present need for the transportation of passengers was always a concern. As early as the year 1794 we find a wagon referred to as a stage coach in use in America and the concept was both embraced and supported by our ancestors. Many wagon manufacturers developed their own versions of coaches with the thought of transporting people rather than freight. In the year 1767, there were passenger wagons called a stage chaise and in the year 1772, the name stage chariot was known. Years later the term mail stage was widely used and accepted as coaches started to transport both passengers and mail from one stage or stop to another around New England. The rides were very uncomfortable over the crude dirt roads but options were very limited. By the year 1816, there were many coach designs and concepts as well as a long list of various early names used to refer to coaches.
It was in 1827 the first Concord Coach was constructed here in New Hampshire in a factory on South Main Street. The craftsmanship was superior and there were many innovative changes made since the early coaches traveled our roads. One remarkable advantage the Concord Coach incorporated was the improved suspension system that allowed for comfortable travel over the roads, the body suspended with leather straps provided a ride so smooth that some passengers were known to be rocked gently into slumber.
By 1850, the railroad had developed across America making safe and efficient travel available to the average person. The Concord Coaches continued in use at resorts and for special occasions, but the days of the coach were ending. Trains, trolleys and the automobile quickly replaced our beloved coaches as progress continued to evolve, relinquishing our fond memories of the old coaches to the safety of our nostalgia.