Northwest Carriage Museum welcomes another horse-drawn Studebaker

The Northwest Carriage Museum in Raymond recently announced the arrival of its 64th historic vehicle at the museum.

“The latest addition, an 1890s Studebaker Village Wagon, is a mix of beauty and practicality,” the Northwest Carriage Museum stated in a news release. “One or both seats can come out, making the vehicle perfect for both passengers and cargo, and there’s even a tailgate that allows for any extra-long goods or materials to be accommodated without issue.”

It’s not every day that a new vehicle makes its way into the collection at the Northwest Carriage Museum.

While the museum’s collection has more than tripled in the last 22 years, from 21 to 64 horse-drawn vehicles, the organization says, “It’s always a real treat to welcome a new gleaming piece of transportation history into the mix.”

In a news release, the organization said the new vehicle is a perfect complement to the fascinating narrative of the industrious Studebaker brothers and their iconic vehicles.

Studebaker, a company known for its classic cars, started as a maker of wheelbarrows for the California Gold Rush. The profits made in that enterprise were taken back to South Bend, Indiana, and used to create a carriage manufacturing business that quickly became a progressive leader in the industry.

The business was capable of completing up to 100 vehicles per day in a time when most large carriage makers were capable of producing only 30 or so per week.

This Village Wagon, as was the case with most Studebaker vehicles, could have been ordered to the customers’ specifications out of a Studebaker company catalog. This vehicle still has its model number, which matches that of the catalog, stamped into the bed by the tailgate.

The vehicle was originally restored in 1980 and was recently restored again by Northwest Carriage Museum curator Jerry Bowman to get it back in shape for display in the museum.

The Northwest Carriage Museum invites attendees to “come get carried away” at the museum, which is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. year-round.

The Northwest Carriage Museum is located at 314 Alder St. in Raymond at the junction of state Route 6 and U.S. Highway 101. For more information, call 360-942-4150 or visit www.nwcarriagemuseum.org .