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spring wagon
vehicle
spring wagon, four-wheeled vehicle drawn by draft animals (most often horses), having a square box and between two and four movable seat boards. It was a general-purpose wagon used for the transportation of either goods or passengers, and in 19th century America it enjoyed wide popularity with farmers.
The spring wagon also featured a spring-loaded rear gate to facilitate the loading of goods and was sometimes equipped with a canopy. Since the box body was hung on platform springs—either front, rear, or both—it was sometimes referred to as a platform wagon or platform spring wagon. It was used much as the pickup truck or delivery van is used in modern times.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Robert Curley.
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