One of the most prestigious displays at the Foxfire museum, the Zuraw wagon is documented as the only surviving wagon to have traveled the Trail of Tears in the late 1830s. Some facts about the wagon:
- It was built in the 1700's (don't you wish your car lasted that long)
- It's known as a Pennsylvania Dutch freight wagon
- It's also known as a Tar Grinder, because wooden wheel hubs were lubricated with a tar-line substance made from pine sap
- It measured 9 feet, 6 inches long
The first recognized owner was Green B. Daves (1803-1880). A North Carolina native, Daves moved to Sevierville, Tennessee as a child. As an adult, he moved to Fannin County, Georgia. Later, he contracted with the U.S. Army to move the Cherokees from Georgia on the Trail of Tears.
The wagon traveled all the way to the Rocky Mountains before being permanently retired in Georgia. Upon Green's death, the wagon passed to his son, Joseph Daves (1831-1908). Joseph's daughter Alice inherited the wagon. She was the wife of Landon Pickelsimer, and they moved to Cartersville, Georgia, where they lived into the mid 1950's. Their son, John, inherited the wagon when Landon died. When John moved from Cartersville to Atlanta, he gave the wagon to Retta Pickelsimer Zuraw, who was Landon's niece. In 1975, she donated the wagon to the Foxfire Museum.
According to Cherokee records, 701 wagons were used on the Trail of Tears. This wagon and others were most likely used to haul supplies, or transport those too young, too old or too sick to walk on their own. More than 14,000 people were part of the six-month, 2,200 mile journey that began in October of 1838. More than 4,000 people perished.
---Laura
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Hi, My name is Eliza and I very curious about how you got this information. Please email me, e.s.newland@gmail.com.
Thanks,
Eliza
Many years ago, the Zuraw wagon was loaned to Dollywood so that a replica could be made of it for the Eastern Band of the Cherokee for their museum at Cherokee, NC. I was the blacksmith on the project. It was a wonderful experience to get hands-on with a piece of history. I made all the "iron" parts for the wagon, including all the nails (the original was built before bolts and screws were commonly available).
My name is Bill Burgess, the master craftsman in charge of the 2003 project to replicate the Zuraw Wagon for the Museum of the Cherokee Indians. Below is a description of the project published in the January/February 2004 edition of the Buggy Builder's Bulletin.
"In 2003, the Valley Carriage Works at Dollywood accepted the challenge of building a replica of the Zuraw wagon, the only wagon known to exist that made the journey to relocate the Cherokee nation to Oklahoma in 1838 known as the 'Trail of Tears.' Upon completion, the replica was to be donated to the Cherokee museum in Cherokee, North Carolina.
The original Zuraw wagon, owned by the Foxfire Museum in Mountain City, Georgia, was loaned to Dollywood for the project. It arrived in mid-September. It was a prairie schooner design typical of its Pennsylvania Dutch origin. We quickly determined the parts we had time to make and the parts we needed to acquire elsewhere. The first hurdle was the wheels and axles. We had some large axles in the shop, but each one had to be reshaped with chisels and drawknives to copy the originals.
The original wheels were unique with flared outer bands and separate inner/outer boxings. We asked our Amish friends in Montgomery, Indiana, Vick and Paul Raber, if they could make the wheels for us. They agreed, and when the wheels arrived they were exact duplicates of the originals.
Another challenge was acquiring the lumber we needed to construct the undercarriage and wagon box. We located the foot-wide yellow pine boards we needed. We planed and shaped them to match the original boards and set them aside.
The ironwork was a challenge in itself. Every metal piece had to be hand-forged including almost 300 forged nails, 50 metal pieces on the braking system and floor supports, and over 30 pieces for the cargo box. The cargo box rested squarely on the undercarriage and held in place only by gravity. Heavy forged metal stops under and along the sides kept it from shifting.
Every piece of wood and metal had to be stressed to match the original piece. The wheels and axles were beaten with chains. The floor boards were intentionally cut unevenly to match the originals. The side boards were sanded and stressed ½ inch to simulate 50 years of wear. Visitors to the park asked us if we were restoring an old wagon. Ecouraging.
The original wagon’s undercarriage still showed the ox-blood red color, and the soldier blue could still be seen on the ends of the side boards. We located a source for the original milk paint, and many experiments on wood scraps were needed. A damp rag and sandpaper gave us the look we needed, and walnut hulls were used to darken the edges of the boards.
The day before the official presentation, the replica was ina a dozed pieces on the assembly floor. Organizers asked nervously if the wagon would be ready by the next morning. We received all materials just in time to complete the job, and by late afternoon the replica was assembled and ready.
The presentation ceremony on October 17, 2003 was a major media event. Dolly Parton’s brother, Randy, made the presentation to the Chairman of the Tribal Council, Albert Crowe. The replica wagon was unveiled beside the original with applause and celebration. It had taken the combined efforts of a dozen craftsmen and approximately 300 hours of steady work to complete the project.
It’s a tradition at the Valley Carriage Works to imbed a penny in the wood of each wagon to mark the wagon’s completion. The penny records the year of manufacture, brings luck to its passengers, and ensures the wagon will always have worth. Along with the traditional 2003 penny, a rare 1838 one-cent piece was also presented to Chairman Crowe.
The original Zuraw wagon was returned to the Foxfire Museum, and the replica is now on display at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian in Cherokee, North Carolina. This was a unique experience and challenge for the Valley Carriage Works craftsmen and a rare opportunity to experience and recreate history.”
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