(Antebellum cotton wagons in town - The Great South; a Record of Journeys in Louisiana, Texas, the Indian Territory, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland, by Edward King.  Documenting the American South.  University Library, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.)

Hauling Goods to Market

Mecklenburg County farmers were self-sufficient subsistence producers who grew or manufactured what they needed to survive.  Along with the crops grown to feed the family and keep the farm running, many local farmers produced surplus crops that could be sold or traded to supplement the family's income.  Charlotte was isolated and lacked adequate transportation outlets to large markets, but in time the town became a small, regional trading outlet that served farmers in the surrounding counties.  Because local farmers all grew the same mix of crops, many farmers hauled their crops to larger markets in order to get a return on their investment.  Hauling goods to market was difficult, time consuming, and costly.  The majority of Mecklenburg farmers drove their goods to Cheraw, South Carolina, roughly 80 miles southeast of Charlotte.  Some made the trip directly to the coastal port of Charleston, 250 miles from Charlotte.  Cotton was one of the crops most likely to be hauled to the larger markets.  One bale of cotton could weigh up to 400 pounds and a wagon could carry up to eight bales in addition to the feed needed for the horses on the journey.  Local farmers had to weigh the costs of production and transportation, as well as the time spent traveling, against what they might receive for their goods.

 

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