In a state with notoriously rough roads, the Nissen wagon — a lighter-duty counterpart of the Conestoga — played a crucial part in early production and distribution of tobacco.
Founded in 1834, the Nissen Wagon Works grew to cover more than 600 acres in Winston-Salem’s Waughtown community. By 1919 it was turning out 50 wagons a day. I was surprised to learn that production continued into the 1940s — who was still buying wagons that far into the automobile age?
Pictured: a celluloid pocket mirror from the collection.
When conducting property deed research, I often come across deeds to the Nissen Company; initially I thought it meant a wagon factory was once operated in the town or county I was researching, but soon realized they were timber rights or even property purchased so as to utilize the property’s trees and turn then into lumber…