I often see vintage automobiles when I’m in Musella. This one brought back a lot of memories. For those who don’t recognize it, or even know what a station wagon is, it’s a circa 1967 Ford County Squire, which was the top of the line of Ford station wagons and perhaps the most popular American automobile of its type. It was an evolution of the woody wagons of the 1930s and 1940s. Eventually, mini-vans replaced station wagons.
When I was growing up my grandmother always had one at the farm. My grandfather had all the usual trucks necessary for farming operations and my grandmother always had a station wagon, until she got older. I remember the last one was red and wood grain and it always seemed so big to my younger self.
My first job after graduating from UGA was Home Economist for Cowete-Fayete EMC in Newnan, Georgia. One of the perks, was a “Company Car”. Matched the Eletrification Advosor’s. All the vehicles were Chevy’s at the Co-Op. Don’t know the model the, but I just took a deep breath and drove that thing like crazy. Even became very proficiant parallel parking, I was 5’2″ and could barly see over the steering wheel. (My personal ccar was a ’68 Firebird 400. No troucle parking it.)
We had this exact car except in a light green with paneling. We used it for cross country treks and it fit three adults, three children and one beagle easily. We even brought the car to japan with us and sold it quite easily when we were ready to go back to States. It made average Japanese cars look like toy versions.
My parents had five boys, with 11 years between me (the oldest) and my youngest brother. They always had station wagons, although not this particular one. This was back when cars had 8-cylinder engines, were heavy as lead, had no power steering (so very hard to turn, especially at low speeds), no power windows (we used hand cranks), and no AC or FM radio! (There were small triangular window vents on the front seats you could turn into the car to get a little bit of “forced air” when the car was moving, but it was no help at stoplights.)
They were a bear to drive, and worse to try to park — especially parallel parking! I learned to drive using my dad’s 1960 Ford station wagon that included all of the above “features,” and I believe cost $2,000 new — a year’s wages for the average worker of the time. I remember getting very excited when my mom eventually got a 1964 Buick wagon that had power steering and AC, but I was not usually allowed to drive it when I turned 16 three years later, because it was deemed “too dangerous” for an inexperienced 16-year old kid!
I remember these old “woody wagons” well. Thanks for sharing!
We had a ’70-something model, even in high school! Those things were land yachts! LOL!
Always enjoy seeing the old buildings but the shots of old things other than buildings is a fun addition. Thanks!
My aunt had one and 3-4 of us kids would pile in the very back to wave to the vehicles traveling behind the station wagon. No seatbelts. We never thought that we were putting our lives in danger traveling that way.
Ford had the quintessential wagon in the heyday of the type.
Pretty building in background. Church? This old stationwagon certainly brings back memories. Thanks for sharing!