A Full Circle Moment. A vintage mid-19th century hay wagon made its way back home! The Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust is delighted to welcome an antique hay wagon to its collection. Built entirely of wood, the wagon still shows traces of its original red and green paint; the donation is a perfect addition! Measuring approximately 18 feet long, 6½ feet wide, and 5 feet tall, the wagon was once used on a local farm.
The Journey of the Antique Hay Wagon. The Frank Bovell family, well documented in local history, had deep roots in Tredyffrin Township. After moving to a pre-Revolutionary house in 1900 on Diamond Rock Hill near Yellow Springs Road, in the northern section of the township, members of the family lived and worked in the community as farm help.
In 1926, Robert and Frances Ligget purchased 250 acres, which included the historic Stirling’s Quarters property and named it Echo Valley Farms. Stirling’s Quarters (now part of Valley Forge National Historical Park) is located close to the Knox Covered Bridge, on the north side of Yellow Springs Road in Tredyffrin Township.
Shortly after purchasing Echo Valley Farms, the Ligget’s acquired a nearby 300-acre working Guernsey farm called Waynesborough in Paoli, named for its connection to land once owned by Gen. Anthony Wayne and his family. Although the Ligget family never lived there, George Bovell was hired to maintain the farm and care for the cattle. From 1926 until his retirement in 1980, George managed the farm for the Ligget’s while living in an 1810 farmhouse on the property.
For more than five decades, the Ligget family made Tredyffrin their home, employing generations of the Bovell family as farmhands, farm managers, and household staff. In all, nineteen members of the Bovell family worked for the Ligget’s, creating a lasting bond between the two local families.
In 1982, George Bovell donated the antique hay wagon, which had come from one of the barns at Waynesborough, to the Radnor Historical Society (RHS). The wagon was housed in the Finley House Barn, c.1886, located in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Alongside a Conestoga wagon and other farm equipment, the hay wagon remained on public display for forty-five years. Earlier this year, a new donation left the Finley Barn short on space, prompting RHS to seek a new home for the hay wagon.
With a Little Help from Our Friends. Lynn Ellis, Vice President of RHS, was tasked with finding the 19th century hay wagon a new home. Although several historic organizations expressed interest, distance made transportation impractical. Through personal contacts, social media, and a local Facebook page, I connected with Lynn. With the support of the boards of RHS, Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust, and Duportail House, the vintage hay wagon arrived on July 2 during the heat wave and is now part of the Jones Log Barn Living History Center.
Please Visit. Located at 297 Adams Drive in Chesterbrook, the Living History Center is a one-of-a-kind log barn museum—open to the public free of charge every Sunday, 1–3 PM, April through October. Bring the family, invite a neighbor, and make local history a community tradition – And see our new hay wagon!
History on Wheels: The Journey of Tredyffrin’s Antique Hay Wagon
~ Pattye Benson, President, Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust
A Full Circle Moment. A vintage mid-19th century hay wagon made its way back home! The Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust is delighted to welcome an antique hay wagon to its collection. Built entirely of wood, the wagon still shows traces of its original red and green paint; the donation is a perfect addition! Measuring approximately 18 feet long, 6½ feet wide, and 5 feet tall, the wagon was once used on a local farm.
The Journey of the Antique Hay Wagon. The Frank Bovell family, well documented in local history, had deep roots in Tredyffrin Township. After moving to a pre-Revolutionary house in 1900 on Diamond Rock Hill near Yellow Springs Road, in the northern section of the township, members of the family lived and worked in the community as farm help.
In 1926, Robert and Frances Ligget purchased 250 acres, which included the historic Stirling’s Quarters property and named it Echo Valley Farms. Stirling’s Quarters (now part of Valley Forge National Historical Park) is located close to the Knox Covered Bridge, on the north side of Yellow Springs Road in Tredyffrin Township.
Shortly after purchasing Echo Valley Farms, the Ligget’s acquired a nearby 300-acre working Guernsey farm called Waynesborough in Paoli, named for its connection to land once owned by Gen. Anthony Wayne and his family. Although the Ligget family never lived there, George Bovell was hired to maintain the farm and care for the cattle. From 1926 until his retirement in 1980, George managed the farm for the Ligget’s while living in an 1810 farmhouse on the property.
For more than five decades, the Ligget family made Tredyffrin their home, employing generations of the Bovell family as farmhands, farm managers, and household staff. In all, nineteen members of the Bovell family worked for the Ligget’s, creating a lasting bond between the two local families.
In 1982, George Bovell donated the antique hay wagon, which had come from one of the barns at Waynesborough, to the Radnor Historical Society (RHS). The wagon was housed in the Finley House Barn, c.1886, located in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Alongside a Conestoga wagon and other farm equipment, the hay wagon remained on public display for forty-five years. Earlier this year, a new donation left the Finley Barn short on space, prompting RHS to seek a new home for the hay wagon.
With a Little Help from Our Friends. Lynn Ellis, Vice President of RHS, was tasked with finding the 19th century hay wagon a new home. Although several historic organizations expressed interest, distance made transportation impractical. Through personal contacts, social media, and a local Facebook page, I connected with Lynn. With the support of the boards of RHS, Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust, and Duportail House, the vintage hay wagon arrived on July 2 during the heat wave and is now part of the Jones Log Barn Living History Center.
Please Visit. Located at 297 Adams Drive in Chesterbrook, the Living History Center is a one-of-a-kind log barn museum—open to the public free of charge every Sunday, 1–3 PM, April through October. Bring the family, invite a neighbor, and make local history a community tradition – And see our new hay wagon!