Strong Wheelwright Shop

The Strong Wheelwright Shop, ca. 1870’s, is located on the William Corwith House site and was used until 1927 by George W. Strong in his wheelwright business while at its original location on the Strong Farm on the corner of Town Line Road and Parsonage Lane in Wainscott. It was donated to the Museum in 1962 by Stanley T. Strong. On exhibit are tools and materials typical of a 19th century wheelwright shop, as well as a blacksmith’s forge used in blacksmithing demonstrations several times a year.

The need for the wheelwright in America has diminished over the last one hundred years but wheelwrights still exist and still provide a needed skill, cutting, shaping, and joining wood to make wheels, often using elm for the hub, oak for the spokes, and ash for the felloes. An iron tire usually circled the rim's exterior. Interestingly, cart wheels were "dished," or bowed out, from the cart to reduce the strain on the wheels caused by the swaying gait of draft animals.

In rural areas the wheelwright often made carts and wagons as well as wheels, and when business was slow he would sometimes turn to making ladders, coffins and even bee hives.

The wheelwright trade in Bridgehampton was first mentioned in the Southampton Town Records when it stated that, on December 10, 1678, Ezekial Sandford was granted fifteen acres of land provided that he agree to remain in the town for seven years and follow his vocation making cart wheels for the settlers “at a reasonable price.”

Sandford’s wheelwright shop was located on his property at the northeast corner of Ocean Road and Bridge Lane. He remained in business for more than the specified seven years and later Marcus Sandford, a descendant, carried on the trade.

In 1886 Howard S. Halsey and Francis McCaslin of Bridgehampton operated a wheelwright business at their Mill Hill property making carriages, wagons, wheels of all types, and performing repairs for local customers.