The West--Life on the Range P.1

"The chuck wagon, mess wagon of the cow country, was usually an ordinary farm wagon fitted at the back end with a large box containing shelves and a lid at its rear that when lowered made a serviceable table. The life of a cowboy away from headquarters was always centered around the chuck wagon. It was his home, his bed and board, his hospital and office, his playground and social center. It was where he got his fresh horses. It meant fire, dry clothes, and companionship. At night it was his place of relaxation, where he spun his yarns, sang his songs, smoked his cigarettes, and spent the happiest years of his life. Nothing added more to the harmony of the cowboys' life than a well-appointed chuck wagon." Used in Utah Historical Quarterly, Spring, 1962.