Artifact of the Month: Big-4 Wagon
Most of us had access to some sort of wagon when we were kids. Commercially made children’s wagons have been around since the 1880s and the iconic red metal Radio Flyer brand debuted in the early 1930s. Even today, with the prevalence of digital gadgets, wagons come in a wide range of materials and still sell well.
A wagon isn’t just a toy. It’s your first set of “wheels.” It’s a way to haul things around by yourself or pile your friends in for a ride. It is a symbol of freedom! In this case, freedom came with a foot brake. When the White Wagon Works in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, patented this design in 1900, they knew that their young customers would spend as much time flying down hills in it as they would pulling it behind them.
Come in and learn more about our 120-year-old “Big-4” wagon on exhibit for the month of November.