Words: John Gunnell
A 1937 brochure announcing three new 1937 Covered Wagon brand trailer coaches bragged that Arthur G. Sherman had built the first house type trailer in 1929. Historically, it could probably be argued that a trailer-type Motor Chapel built for itinerant preachers around 1915 held that honor, but the “trailer house” that Sherman put together for his hunting and fishing trips did lead him to form the Covered Wagon Company.
Based in Mt. Clemens, Mich., the Covered Wagon factories stretched over 20 acres of land in 1937. They had 160,000 sq. ft. of floor space and employed 1,200 men. The modern factories were equipped with the finest available fabricating machinery and Covered Wagon manufacturing and production methods were the same as those used in all large automobile factories at that time.
That made Covered Wagon the largest builder of trailer coaches in the world. The company had its own engineering department, a design department, a production department and, of course, the sales department that created the large, four-page brochure. Many of the workers were trained in automobile manufacturing and the workforce included fabricators, cabinet makers and automotive body builders.
Covered wagon claimed that its 1937 chassis was the strongest, stiffest, soundest and safest in the industry. It was all-steel with electrically welded and riveted joints. The side rails were six inches deep and the box section cross-member were from 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches deep. Heavy double flange rails and scientifically-designed cross-bracing prevented Covered Wagon coaches from weaving or sagging. The chassis had electric brakes as standard equipment.
In 1937, there were three Covered Wagon models. The Master was a 16-ft. trailer with streamlined design. The Deluxe had similar looks, but was three feet longer. The Custom Coach was 22 feet of steel and wood coachwork combined into a trailer home with privacy, year-round livability and spacious interiors. The outer body sheathing on all three models was made of Shermanite Steel named after the company founder. This metal was 55 percent lighter than standard automobile body steel of that era. Copywriters claimed it was shock-proof, rust-resistant and five times more impervious to heat and cold, which was good if you were sleeping inside. And you got all of this for $395 with the Master.
The interiors of some Covered Wagon coaches were quite luxurious (actually, all were luxurious by modern standards). The “furniture” inside could include folding tables, wicker chairs, deep-cushioned sofas, a stove, an icebox, electric lights, an enamel sink, running water, wooden lockers, cupboards, dressers, mirrors, chemical toilets and beds for two with coil spring mattresses, depending upon which model you bought.
Mechanical drawings in the 1937 brochure illustrated the floor plans for all three models and gave complete specifications. The Shermanite Steel body panels were processed on plywood panels and the roof coverings were canvas. Even the low-priced Master had seven windows with screens, a wardrobe, a cupboard, an icebox, light fixtures, a sink and a water tank. The top-of-the line Custom Coach had 11 windows, large beds, curtains, a two-burner gasoline stove, self-locking drawers, a writing desk, two mirrors (one full length), a wardrobe, a kitchen sink, a water tank and a toilet.
Covered Wagon built thousands of its lower-end models, which were the most popular not only due to their lower price, but also the customers’ ability to store a trailer. Outside storage was never a good thing for Covered Wagons with their canvas roofs. The larger, more luxurious models were rarer of course, but many stayed in use for a good long time because their higher-income buyers could afford to take care of them.
The Volo Auto Museum of Volo, Ill., has 1932 and 1934 Covered Wagon models on exhibit. These are the ones pictured here in color. The vintage photos show what trailer life was like in the 1930s and 1940s. As you can see, there were many Covered Wagons on the roads then.
“In the days of ’49 (the California Gold Rush days), going across the plains in a covered wagon was really a hardship,” said the 1937 brochure. “But it’s not so today. On your trip from Coast to Coast in the present-day Covered Wagon, you have all the comforts and conveniences of home.”
