Figure 1.--There were various brand names. This mean that there were wagpns and eagons. Here a boy poses with his prise possession--a classic red Radio Flyer. Unlike the junky modern stuff, te Radio Flyer was steel with rubber wheels and made to last.

I had thought that a child's pull waggons were quintessentially American. And they were mostly something that boys wanted. We suspect that wagons were popular in other countries as well, but we have little information on this. Certainly the photographic record shows that they were especially popular in America. Few Americans can forget the little red wagon which became an integral part of American childhood. I'm not sure when wagons became so popular for boys--and when red became the most popular color. The waggon could not only be used for carting stuff around, but there was a way to ride it as well. We see them at the turn-of-the 20th century, but that was when amateur snapshots became popular. We have fewer snapshos from the 1890s, but suspect that boys had wagons then as well. Most boys growing up in America wanted their own little red wagon. Here we see American children with their wagon, probably about 1905. We note them in Little Rascals (Our Gang) movie shorts in the 1930s. We see them in Sears catalogs during the 1940s. A reader writes, "Wagons were very popular for boys in the 1940s." I had one in the early 1950s. Most boys got them. Not all families, however, had the money to buy wasgons for their boys. We note two New York City boys with a home-made waggon in the 1890s. They were much less expensive than a bike and thus within the price range of most families.

Popularity

Waggons were very popular with American boys. Every boy wanted one. The girls were less interested. We see large numbers of American boys with waggons in the photographic record. We see no other country in which waggons were so popular. A good example is the Johnson boys in 1913.

Other Countries

I had thought that a child's pull waggons were quintessentially American. We suspect that wagons were popular in other countries as well, but we have little information on this. Certainly the photographic record shows that they wereespecially popular in America.

Boys

Wagons were something boys most certainly wanted. And they commonly appeared under the Christmas tree for many boys. Virtually every American boy either had a waggon or wanted one. Few Americans can forget the little red wagon which became an integral part of American boyhood. Boys ofteneeded to cart around their valuables. Often they were used for short trips around the back yard. Every thing could be loaded into them from rocks to toys. Aboy could convey his toys for a session in the sand box. Or for tht matter, he could transport the sand. In fact, a boy could move just about everything that he might want to move. They were extremly utilatarian. I remmember using my as part of a door to door sales effort. And little broithers and sisters liked to be carted around. Mom often nabbed them them for a range of chors, including gardening, feed for the chickens, and laundry.

Girls

Girls were not as nearly enamored by little red wagons. That was certainly by impression as a boy in the 1940s-50s. And this is confirmed by the photographic record. Some girls did have them, but we are not always sure if the waggons in available photographs belonged to the girls or were nabbed from their brothers. Most girls just did not see them as appropriate for their precious dollies. They wanted more luxurious accomodations. So often baggy buggies appeared under the christmas tree for sis. This was a conveyance in which a girl's dollies could be more suitably connveyed, here a waggon just was not vdry dignified for their precious dolls.

Social Class

Not all families, however, had the money to buy wagons for their boys. We note two New York City boys with a home-made waggon in the 1890s. They were much less expensive than a bike and thus within the price range of most families.

Chronology

We are not sure when wagons became so popular for boys. We see them at the turn-of-the 20th century, but that was when amateur snapshots became popular. We have fewer snapshos from the 1890s, but suspect that boys had wagons then as well, although we are not sure. Portrait studios kept children's toys as props during the 19th century and we do not see studio portraits with waggons. This changes dramaically when snapshots become availavle after the turn of the 20th century. Most boys growing up in America wanted their own little red wagon. We see American children with their wagon in the early 20th century. They were a well entrenched boyhood item by the 1920s. All boys wanted them and many had them. We note them in Little Rascals (Our Gang) movie shorts in the 1930s. We see them in Sears catalogs during the 1940s. A reader writes, "Wagons were very popular for boys in the 1940s." I had one in the late-1940s and early-50s, Radio Flyer and recall it with considerable affection. Most boys got them. We see them changing in the 1970s when plastic trikes and waggons began to appear. Red

We are also unsure when and why red became the most popular color. Perhaps it was because the Radio Flyer was made in red, but we are not sure. When I was a boy in the 1940s-50s, that was the only color I remember seeing.

Utility

The waggon could not only be used for carting stuff around, but there was a way to ride it as well. And unlike trikes and bikes you could bring along your stuff.

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Created: 10:18 PM 11/7/2007
Last updated: 9:07 PM 2/9/2011