O.O. Ott, Meadow Brook Dairy Farm Delivery Wagon, 1912-1913
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Artifact Overview
Door-to-door delivery of milk and other dairy products began in the late 1800s. Milk spoiled quickly. Before mechanical home refrigerators, fresh bottles were delivered daily. Horse-drawn dairy delivery wagons were used well into the 20th century. Horses knew their routes and could follow as their drivers walked alongside and dropped off bottles on doorsteps.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Glass plate negative
Subject Date
1912-1913
Collection Title
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
71.1.1089
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of David M. Gwinn.
Material
Glass (Material)
Color
Black-and-white (Colors)
Dimensions
Height: 5 in
Width: 4 in
Keywords |
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Related Content
SetHorse-drawn Deliveries
- 11 Artifacts
Horse-drawn delivery wagons remained in use well into the automobile age. Even in the 1920s, it wasn't unusual to see milk, ice, or produce delivered by horse--especially in smaller towns. Horses were well suited to the frequent stops and starts along a route and could negotiate poor roads better than early motorized vehicles. As roads improved and trucks became less expensive to operate and maintain, the horse-drawn delivery wagon faded away.