Justdroppedin
09-24-2019, 07:34 PM
Texas cowboys having a chuck wagon lunch during a cattle roundup in 1900
https://i.imgur.com/4VikIbi.jpg
The camp cook (aka "cookie") to the left is at this moment taking a big Dutch Oven off the hot coals, I wonder what he’s cooking! Something fried? Something stewed? Most likely beans though. Beans, beans, and beans. He has probably woken up before everyone else and rode ahead of the party to set up the fires so that hot meals were ready.
The “chuckbox” would be covered with the big plank in its upright position as the wagon would be bumping down the trail, and when it was folded down it served as a kitchen workbench. Underneath the bench you can see the dish pans stacked inside, this is also were they would store most of the pans and Dutch ovens.
The little drawer furthest up to the right has a clock built in! It’s a bit hard to tell with the drawer handle being in the way but it looks like it’s about 12:40 PM. That would match the shadows on the ground as well. And to the right of the clock we can see a mirror on the side of the wagon, to ensure your morning shave goes smoothly.
The rest of the drawers might hold all kinds of tools for mending things, spices for cooking, drinks for drinking.
Up top you can hint the riding seat, with built in springs! I can imagine the rider sitting on his bedroll to give his butt some extra cushioning.
The men might be sipping on strong black coffee, the most popular beverage on the trail.
The barrel to the right of the man is probably filled with yeast or sourdough which would be baked into bread and biscuits. In the larger photo you can see a red metal bucket with a pig motive on it - this contained lard that was used as grease for all kinds of cooking.
This man is more finely dressed and the boater hat might just give away that he’s a tourist from the city. It wasn’t uncommon for ranchers to take along some rich people from the city on these tours.
Behind him in the distance you can see one of their horses idly grazing its own lunch, munching on grass.
https://i.imgur.com/Cg54KT2.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/4VikIbi.jpg
The camp cook (aka "cookie") to the left is at this moment taking a big Dutch Oven off the hot coals, I wonder what he’s cooking! Something fried? Something stewed? Most likely beans though. Beans, beans, and beans. He has probably woken up before everyone else and rode ahead of the party to set up the fires so that hot meals were ready.
The “chuckbox” would be covered with the big plank in its upright position as the wagon would be bumping down the trail, and when it was folded down it served as a kitchen workbench. Underneath the bench you can see the dish pans stacked inside, this is also were they would store most of the pans and Dutch ovens.
The little drawer furthest up to the right has a clock built in! It’s a bit hard to tell with the drawer handle being in the way but it looks like it’s about 12:40 PM. That would match the shadows on the ground as well. And to the right of the clock we can see a mirror on the side of the wagon, to ensure your morning shave goes smoothly.
The rest of the drawers might hold all kinds of tools for mending things, spices for cooking, drinks for drinking.
Up top you can hint the riding seat, with built in springs! I can imagine the rider sitting on his bedroll to give his butt some extra cushioning.
The men might be sipping on strong black coffee, the most popular beverage on the trail.
The barrel to the right of the man is probably filled with yeast or sourdough which would be baked into bread and biscuits. In the larger photo you can see a red metal bucket with a pig motive on it - this contained lard that was used as grease for all kinds of cooking.
This man is more finely dressed and the boater hat might just give away that he’s a tourist from the city. It wasn’t uncommon for ranchers to take along some rich people from the city on these tours.
Behind him in the distance you can see one of their horses idly grazing its own lunch, munching on grass.
https://i.imgur.com/Cg54KT2.jpg