Market Wagon

Seymour LaPierre stands on his horse-drawn “Express Wagon.” Behind him, there appear to be eggs visible among the load. Farmers would use wagons like this one to go to the Halifax Market.

The LaPierres represent three generations of market goers.  Seymour’s mother introduced him to the Halifax Market as a youth and his daughter, Mary Ann, is still attending the city market over a century later. When Seymour married, his wife Joyce became the main market goer in the family and introduced her children to the routine at a very early age. Seymour devoted much of his time to the operation of a small sawmill and the whole family helped run their farm.

His wagon was a typical express wagon as used by the farmers of Cole Harbour. Because of the widespread use of this type of wagon and the particular challenges of the long, hilly road and the ferry crossing to Halifax, local builders made some modifications to the express wagon. Two locally built express wagons are on exhibit in the Settle Barn at the museum.