Coffee Wagon

RMJC has comissioned an original artwork by Gregory Newson.  Purchase one today to add this wonderful conversation piece to your home while helping to support the Coffee Wagon restoration project!  Available for purchase in the bookstore here!

Videos of the Coffee Wagon

Awesome video about the Coffee wagon and our restoration efforts!

Video of the newly restored Coffee Wagon being pulled by horses at the Henry Ford, Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI in June, 2019.

RMJC has begun a new historical restoration project. This antique reproduction coffee wagon is in very bad disrepair. We have signed a 5 year, exclusive use agreemnet with the Armed Services YMCA to house, show and refurbish this coffee wagon. July 2018, the wagon made it's first appearance, while under our care, at the 155th Gettysburg event.  For more details see the first article in the list below.


Tintype of the Coffee Wagon at a recent event.  Photograph produced by the Charleston Tintypist.  https://charlestontintypist.com/

Here are some articles that discuss the Coffee Wagon:

 

 

This replica coffee wagon was built in 1961, completed just in time to be at the Manassas Battle Field for the centenial commemoration of that battle.  It was built by the inmates at the Lorton Virginia prison which is run by the Washington D.C. government.  The cost was covered by the Chase and Sanborn Coffee Company.

The following are some pictures of the Coffee Wagon as we recieved it on June 21st, 2018, before any restoration work has begun.  Please refer back to this page to follow our restoration process, you will also be able to see pictures of the Coffee Wagon at different re-enactments. 

We have already purchased a spare tire with rim, a mount and a winch to help pull the wagon back onto its trailer.  We have also made new mounting hookups for the wagon to be better secured to its trailer for road travel.  We are also having a covered structure built to keep the wagon out of the elements.

 

It is our sincerest desire you will be willing to partner with us in this restoration project by clicking on this Paypal "DONATION"  button and giving a gift to help with the needed supplies and work we will have to contract out.  Just to give you an idea of some costs; one replacement wheel will cost $700.00, if we are not able to repair it.  We have had one of the three coffee boilers restpred and that cost us $1,000.00.  We still need to raise the money to complete the other two.  Please pray as to what the Lord might have you to do.  Thank you.

 

Chaplain Farley posing with the Coffee Wagon and a dedication plaque that is affixed to the wagon.

 

Some Pictures of the overall look of the wagon.  The whole wagon will need to be taken apart, wood and metal, sanded, primed and repainted and relettered.  It is our desire to return it to its original condition from 1970.
 

 

 

Some Images of the actual boilers and fire boxes that make the coffee.  One boiler was used at a re-enactment and overheated with no water in it and will now need to be reworked to either seal it back up or replace it.  All three fireboxes are rusted out and will need an extensive amount of metal work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the first restored coffee boiler before paint.  Price of this part of the restoration was $1,000.00 and we have 2 more to get restored.

 

 

 

 

Some of the damage the wagon has sustained from being stored outside in the elements, that will need to be restored.  These two pictures are of one wheel spoke and the wheel itself.  Here are a few picture after the wheels were taken apart. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below are pictures of some improvements we have already made.  We bought a spare tire and mount as well as a winch.  We have also made a new tiedown system for the front to make it a more secure ride going down the road to events.

Here are the completely restored wheels. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are images of the working end of the coffee wagon going back together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Signage that will accompany the wagon to explain its historical significance.

 

 

August 2018, RMJC Comissioned the design and production of an orginal piece of artwork by artists Gregory Newson.  The piece is an original painting telling the story of the coffee wagon at  Appomattox in April, 1865. It is entitled, “Reconciliation “.  In the bookstore here on the site we will have Original Artist proofs on either a fine paper or on a canvas, as well as Lithgraph Repoductions of the original, available for purchase.  All proceeds for the sale of this fine work of art will go towards the ongoing restoration efforts mention above.  See the store listings here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 2019 - The Coffee Wagon being pulled by horses for the first time, at The Henry Ford Museum's Greenfield Village, Dearborn, MI.  We served coffee and cookies to all in attendance.  

October 2020 - General Grant discusses a brief history of the coffee wagon at an event in Missouri and gives the troops their marching orders to have other events request the coffee wagon and Reverend Farley for attendance at their event!

A News Reporter did a piece about the Coffee Wagon when we were at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI back in 2019