People who live in the Texas Panhandle know what a chuckwagon is, just like they know what saddles and spurs are. But these days, they are more a part of nostalgia and rustic memories more than a necessity like they were on a cattle drive in the late 1800s. A chuckwagon cook could feed an entire crew with a Dutch oven, sour dough and beans and potatoes, according to the National Cowboy Museum.
Charles Goodnight, the famous JA Ranch owner who helped settle and establish this area, is credited with inventing the chuckwagon for use on some of the first cattle drives to come out of Texas. Goodnight adapted an old Army wagon and added features like storage shelves, a hinged work surface and water barrel. His invention became a crucial part of the cattle drive era, keeping cowboys well-fed and supplied.
The tradition is kept alive by Old West enthusiasts…