About the Exhibit

What could have been in the wagon in 1844?

This question has led Bruce Horttor and Carol Verbeeck into a fascinating research project... carefully reproducing clothing, building ox yokes, and searching out original and reproduction artifacts that bring the material culture of the 1840s to life.

Representing over a decade of work to date, the wagon encampment is a labor of love created by this husband and wife team. Each year, new items are researched and recreated to add to the collection.

Clues from letters and diaries from the time have provided the main inspiration for the exhibit, and items are displayed to represent descriptions from these primary sources.