Hiring a moving company is a part of everyday life for both individuals and businesses.
Yet not many people are probably aware about how moving companies began and the history of moving services is quite interesting.
Modern moving companies with their big trucks and tractor-trailers are merely an extension of the very first for-hire movers who started out in a more modest way.
The First Long-Distance Moves
Although the first true moving services did not exist until the 1940’s, the very first “movers” began in a very humble and practical way.
When the West was being settled in the 1800’s before the Intercontinental Railroad was constructed, people gathered up all of their belongings and put them into covered wagons specifically made for hauling household furnishings and headed to the West using nothing but horse power.
Wagon trains, which were groups of families moving west, worked together as it made loading, traveling, and unloading much easier for all involved who worked as a group.
The Intercontinental Railroad and Motorized Vehicles
With the construction of the Intercontinental Railroad, moving personal goods to the Old West became much easier.
It did not eliminate the horse and wagon, as that was still a popular local method for people moving to another house or who required moving large heavy objects.
As the automobile was used in the late 1800's, the first “moving trucks” were also manufactured.
These vehicles were little more than automobiles with two-axle, two-cylinder engines and a rear bed, much like the horse-drawn wagon.
Two World Wars
During WWI, nearly all motorized vehicles were being used to support the war effort, which delayed the development of actual moving services.
There was still a demand for moving services, which left most people with moving choices of horse and wagon or shipping via trains.
Many who could not afford the cost of shipping large items had to buy or build new furniture when they reached their destinations across the country.
In the early 1900's, a few small transport companies felt that local transport by truck could be less expensive than by train and began to offer public moving services.
These were the very first organized moving companies and they did very well, as demand for service was high.
These fledgling moving businesses really boomed after WWII ended, when thousands of young soldiers returned to the U.S. from war.
These men returned ready to find jobs, start families, and find homes for their family which drastically increased the demand for household moving services throughout the entire country.
Moving companies began to spring up everywhere, including some original services that are still in business today.
Over time with increased demand and the availability of bigger and better trucks, the moving industry as it is known today emerged.
From Humble Beginnings to Large Moving Services
Today’s moving companies are very different than those of yesteryear, although their purpose has always been the same.
Thankfully, with improved vehicle technology and better transportation methods in general, moving services are more efficient and cost-effective than ever before.
So the next time you require a moving company to relocate a household or business, call a modern day “covered wagon transport service” and schedule your move with one of the best professional movers in the area!
