Written by Clay Riley – Between 1880 and 1910, wagon yards were in every town in the western United States. By the 1920s, the invention of motorized transportation had made the wagon yard a relic of the past, but it had a secure place in the history of pioneer days in Texas.
In an era when goods and freight were transported with horses and mules in wagons, they became places of shelter for drivers, families, teams and wagons. Here travelers and local farmers and ranchers could camp out in town, before continuing their trips or buying supplies. Every farmer made at least two trips each year, in the spring for planting supplies, and in the fall to sell his cotton, and to get a winter supply of staples, sugar, flour, coffee and clothing.
For those that could not afford the limited hotel rooms, camping out in the wagon yard became the common method. Drivers pulled into yards, cared for teams, found cooking and sleeping space. Many would sleep under their wagons, or in a covered “tabernacle”, which was primarily an open structure with a roof. Sleeping was on the ground on pallets or on cots, if they were available for rent. Preparing meals of simple fare was done on open campfires. Entertainment was exchanging news, recipes and farming improvements for the men, children and womenfolk. Socializing was visiting with friends and strangers alike.
For people from the country and outlying small towns in the area, a wagon yard was both a hotel and a social center. Most wagon yards were as large as a city block and were fenced, so a loose animal couldn’t escape, and they usually had a large barn-type structure to house the teams and wagons. The usual charge to travelers was less than $1.00 and 25 cents was most the common charge for a day. Most corners were taken up by blacksmith shops, grocers, wagon repairers and in some cases small hotels were available.
For people from the country and outlying small towns wagon yards were places where most of the country people put up for the night when they came to Brownwood. Those able to afford hotel rooms, enjoyed the home-cooked meals, leaving his team alone or with a hired man at the barn. Men or families might stay for weeks, to await people or goods coming by stage or trains. Amusements were gossip, games, and music by those that had instruments. Young boys and girls overcame shyness, learned to dance, pitch horse shoes, exchange knives and show off their dolls. The yard center was for trading goods and horses; obtaining advice on travel, work and weather. Women traveling alone seldom stayed at wagon yards because of the impropriety of being subjected to drunkenness or foul language
Some yards were stops for stages and freighters. A block east of the Brown County Courthouse square, was the Star Wagon Yard with a small hotel which still stands. This building was later Coleman’s Grocery (downstairs) prior to becoming an office for businesses. One block west of the Courthouse, was another large wagon yard owned by various men, but usually referred to as the City Wagon Yard.
One block east of the courthouse and south of the Starr Wagon Yard on Pecan Street, was the Hall & Harryman Wagon yard and Livery Company. This livery business also was the stage stop for the stages coming to and through Brownwood. They would come into Brownwood from Cisco, Comanche, Coleman and San Angelo. The Express Office for transfer of money and valuables was run by Hall & Harryman and was in a stone building on the corner of East Broadway and Water Streets.
The County Jail, City Hall, Fire Department and Calaboose (city jail) were all located on Pecan Street which ran parallel to East Broadway (now Fisk).
The farmer could dine in the wagon yard on cheese, crackers, salmon, sardines, etc., bought at the grocery store, like Coleman’s Grocery on the south west corner of Pecan and South Broadway, or he could bring his own bacon, eggs and coffee and prepare them over a campfire at the yard. After supper he might visit the saloon or see a lantern picture show. Next morning, he could finish buying goods and supplies, load up and arrive at home before nightfall.
There were other smaller yards located around the courthouse square. While the wagon yards were different in size, structure and arrangement, a typical wagon yard had a large barn-like building of wood and sheet metal. There were large doors to accommodate the wagons coming in from the streets. The main area was used to store wagons. Wagons would be arranged by the expected time of the visitors’ return so there would not have to be much shuffling. By lining them up with the tongue of one wagon under the bed of the next wagon, they could accommodate as many wagons as possible. The Star Wagon Yard, for example, could accommodate 75 wagons because it was one of the larger yards (approx. 200 ft. x 200 ft.).
Some wagon yards had bunk houses for men and women. The wooden bunks might be two or three stacks high. Visitors provided their own bedding but there was a stove for heat and cooking in each bunkhouse.
The usual rate for care of the animals and wagons and the use of the bunk house was 25 cents a night although the prices went up as time passed. That did not include the cost of the feed. Wagon and team owners who did not stay overnight were charged 10 cents a day while buggies and horse and rider had lower rates.
The months of August until March were the busiest months for the wagon yards. This was the time between the harvest of one crop and the planting of the next crop. On Fridays, farm family wagons would start coming into town about three in the afternoon and continue until about nine at night. Some would go to the silent or lantern shows at the Aerodrome while others visited, shared meals and maybe even played cards and dominoes.
The next day, they did their shopping. The stores would then deliver the purchases to the wagons in the yard. By Saturday evening, the wagon yards were quiet again. Seldom did a farmer stay over because they had to get home for church on Sunday. On Sunday afternoons, the local boys had plenty of room to play in the large empty wagon yards.
The arrival of the automobile and railroads marked the beginning of the end for the wagon yard. Visitors did not need to stay overnight because trips to town took only a few hours. Some wagon yards parked motor vehicles for a while and one became an automobile rental agency. Most of them were just torn down and replaced with other businesses. The end of the wagon yards would also change the complexion of downtown Brownwood as it moved into the modern age.
Photos: Brownwood Public Library – Genealogy and Local History Branch. Map – Texas State Library Sanborn Collection, Brownwood Bulletin – 1893, and author.
This and many other stories are available at the Brownwood Public Library – Genealogy & Local History Branch at 213 S. Broadway. Volunteers from the Pecan Valley Genealogical Society are there to assist you in your family or local history research.
Clay Riley is a local historian and retired Aerospace Engineer that has been involved in the Historical and Genealogical Community of Brown County for over 20 years.
Should you have a comment, or a question that he may be able to answer in future columns, he can be reached at – pvgsbwd@gmail.com.
