Here’s a link to a short article about the Basques in Oregon from the Oregon Encyclopedia. I’m just in it for the wagon photos of course.
Tag: vardo
Growing Up on the Range
A great story I read years ago about being raised in a family of six in a sheep camp measuring about 7 x 8′! (I think that’s the floor space). I recently relocated the article in Mother Earth News.

Here’s an excerpt:
“The canvas-covered sheep wagon was roughly about seven feet wide by eight feet long. On the front end a door opened out of the middle and you stepped down onto the wagon tongue and thence to the ground. From the inside looking out, the stove was on the left of the door. On the right was a small wash stand with several wooden drawers for storage of linens, towels and socks. A bucket of water and washbasin were on the oil cloth covered top and a small mirror hung above the basin for shaving. Soap, toothbrush, razor and essentials rested on top of the stand when in location or were stowed in a drawer when moving.”
Read more here: http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-community/sheepherders-wagon-zmaz70mjzkin.aspx
Home on the Range!
Another good sheep camp image. I’d like to see more inside.
http://www.talkingtree.org/2011/03/31/welcome-to-the-sheepherders-home/
Vintage Mollycrofts
Montana Sheepherder
Beautiful and well-loved sheepherder photographed by Roger Wade Studio.
Bowtop
A nice bowtop wagon from Traveller Dave’s website. There are many “real” living wagons and rolling homes there in case you are in need of inspiration.
I like the window but the builder in me sees it as a sure source of leaks.
A Few Pictures from Rabbitstick 2012
From Clunker to Art
Semi-Bowtop for Sale…
…and Some Other Nice Work
Daphne at Daphne’s Caravans has been busy this summer and appears to have another beautiful wagon nearly ready to sell. Her description is “all cedar, with a roof like a cedar strip canoe. 7′ long, 6′ wide at the ledge, and 6′ high in the centre.” I presume the roof will be epoxied over glass or there will be a covering over the entire thing. If you’ve wanted your very own mini caravan but don’t have the time, tools, or inclination, this might be one for you.
Below is another creation of hers from earlier this summer. Click the photo to see more at her website.
More Cool and Vintage(ish) Wagon Homes
First of all, a beautiful Bristol bowtop shown on Handmade Charlotte.

Tonke Campers make some amazing caravans in the Netherlands. The most remarkable part of this design is that the whole living compartment easily removes and can be left as an autonomous dwelling. Handy indeed.
A restored “showman’s” wagon found at shootfactory.co.uk.
And a really great Art-Noveau style caravan. I want more pics of this one. I found this one here.
Finally, I don’t generally like the pop-up campers but when this one is “deployed” it’s pretty amazing. Designed by Axel Enthoven, it is appropriately called the Opera.
More information about this cunning design here.



























