Amish Buggies in My Life

  As far back as I can remember my parents always had three buggies. A little open buggy that was used when Daddy needed to go somewhere alone or with one or two of us children riding along, the top buggy that was used for the family its springs had been damaged the day it had tipped over and from then on always leaned a little toward the left, and then the spring wagon which was basically an Amish version of a pickup truck. A single seat at the front and a long bed to haul things. We also enjoyed using it on warm Sundays to go on a drive. With Mom and Daddy on the seat and folded blankets in the back for us to sit on we enjoyed many Sunday afternoons exploring back roads.

As the family grew we no longer all fit into the two seated top buggy and it was time for a new one. Daddy went to the local buggy shop to order it. Which happened to belong to LV's Dad.

I still remember the excitement of having a new buggy that now had three seats. That didn't last very long though because of the way the seats were situated. The two back seats were sideways and we used to have to sit facing each other with interlocking knees. I was glad once John was old enough for his own horse and buggy and we no longer had to ride in the back of our parents buggy.

Saturdays we would often have to wash the buggy. The wheel spokes had to be washed carefully until they were sparkling clean. Every little speck of dirt and mud seemed to like to stick hard. But even worse was scrubbing the sides. The vinyl or as some people called it: oilcloth, seemed to be a dirt magnet and we had to scrub every speck out of all the crevices with brushes.

The dash had added dirt that had been flung back by the horse's hooves. Plus clinging horse hair.

Once my brothers had their own buggies they liked waxing afterwards even though it meant that the whole thing had to be done again if it rained.

My Grandpa Mast used to call his top buggy a surrey. And his spring wagon a buckboard or a durban.

LV started building his buggy only a few weeks before we were married. Up until then he had used his parents little top buggy. I was sad to see it go to his oldest nephew when we left the Amish even though I like our mode of transportation better now.