Early settlers walked and rode horses. They also rode in French carts and
carriages. In 1872, Bela Hubbard remembered that the cart was
a light
two-wheeled vehicle, of the ordinary cart construction, and the sides were
protected by a low railing. The gentry sometimes had chairs placed within, but
commonly all rode after a more primitive style, with a buffalo robe only for a
seat. In this simple mode ladies were taken to church, to parties and calls, or
carted over the mud. . . . Sometimes the loosely made linchpin gave out, when
the living cargo was unceremoniously dumped, of course in the very deepest
puddles. But such accidents in those days were a subject of mirth, rather than
of chagrin.
George Clark of Ecorse said that he came to Detroit around 1817
and
landed on the beach near where the foot of Woodward avenue now is. The farms and
gardens seemed to run down to the margin of the river. All the vehicles were
one-horse French carts, used for both pleasure and business; also for conveying
water to the inhabitants in barrels.
In 1864 Charles C. Trowbridge remembered,
The charrette, a
low-wheeled cart, was the common vehicle of burden and of pleasure. . . . It was
a curious sight to see twenty or thirty of these carts backed up in front of the
churches on Woodward avenue, awaiting the close of services.
The Michigan Historical Museum artist sketched the French cart based on the
descriptions on this page and old drawings.
