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13 September 2023
CARLTON, Kan. (KSNW) — A Carlton couple spent over 24 years traveling the western part of the U.S., re-creating history with a chuckwagon.
Don Meyer and Sharon Roberts Meyer both love history and the West.
They’ve fed hundreds of people for over 24 years with Don’s handmade Chuckwagon grill.
Chuckwagon (KSNW Photo)
“History went right through this front yard. This was the Chisholm Trail before Carlton was even here,” said the creator of the Chuckwagon Grill and The Trail Boss Company Trailboss, Don Meyer.
Don grew up in Carlton and got the idea to build a grill on the wagon nearly 50 years ago.
“Thought of the idea. It was a year not unlike this year, really dry, and knew somebody from town that liked to come out and picnic out in the hills out here, and they were gonna light it and catch it on fire, so I thought I need this chuckwagon with a grill on it,” said Don.
His first grill took a couple of months to build, but the second took only two weeks.
“I made an iron frame and set the grill on that and covered it with old wood so it would look like an original wagon,” said Don.
Don owns about four chuckwagons. The grills are propane, with the tanks hidden to help keep the authentic Western look.
Settlers used chuckwagons to carry necessities.
After about 20 years of serving up meals in Kansas, he moved to Colorado, where he met his wife, Sharon.
When she met Don and heard about his chuckwagon, she knew exactly what he was talking about and wanted to get involved.
“We cooked for reenactments of wagon trains,” said Don’s wife and The Trail Boss Company Ramrod Co-Owner, Sharon Roberts Meyer.
The two traveled all over the West, such as Wyoming, Oregon, California, and Colorado.
They fed and met hundreds of people, all while preserving history from what they wore to how they served the meals.
“We set it up where it looks just like something on Rawhide or a John Wayne movie,” said Sharon. She added, “We’ve done a lot of Western movie sets, we’ve done family reunions, we’ve done birthday parties.”
The couple moved to Carlton in 2014, partially retiring their business.
Those years on the road were filled with a lot of work but worth it to the couple.
“It also makes you have a totally new appreciation for those men and women who did who were pioneers. You know they came for a new life,” said Sharon.
They still cook with their company here and there but usually require 100 or more to serve a meal.
They also bring the chuckwagons to local schools to educate students on the role these wagons played for pioneers.
If you’re interested in learning more, you can contact Don and Sharon at [email protected].
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