What’s up, Campers?!
At Everything Summer Camp, we’re the home of C&N Footlockers so, of course, we pride ourselves the most on our traditional (as well as our innovative Designer) trunks. And we’re also proud to offer our Wheel Away System—the easiest way to transport your camp trunk.
These large, 4″ PVC wheels are a revolutionary solution for summer campers who have struggled with a fully-packed footlocker. But camp trunk transportation isn’t the first thing that the wheel has revolutionized! Let’s take a look at the origins of this round invention!
Contrary to popular opinion, the wheel was not invented with transportation in mind. It wasn’t invented by cavemen either. It was the ancient Sumerians, actually—one of the earliest civilizations in recorded history—and they invented it roughly 3500 BC.
The first wheels were flat disks made of either wood or clay that was left out to bake in the sun. If not for transportation, what were these wheels used for? They were potter’s wheels—rotated by hand and used for shaping clay into rounded pieces of cookware, vases, and other pieces of ceramic art.
The wheel was very useful in the world of pottery, but it would be another 300 years until people realized the full potential of this invention. Wheelbarrows were one of the first wheeled vessels which then gave way to a flood of coming inventions on wheels.
The plow followed soon after the wheelbarrow, but it wasn’t until the wheel found its home underneath a chariot that the transportation train started moving. Wheels have been used for purposes besides transportation since 3000 BC like converting energy in watermills and creating a delightful ride as a Ferris Wheel, but transportation is still its main thing.
Wheels started as objects made of clay and wood, but nowadays, they’re commonly made from rubber as we see on our motor vehicles and bicycles. Some other modern wheels are made of hard plastics like skateboard wheels as well as the removable beauties that pop on and off of our Wheel Away System. Let it roll! And, as always, thanks for reading!
- John