Rare Piece Of Bucks County History Saved From Obscurity

NEWTOWN, PA — A rare piece of Bucks County’s past has been rescued from obscurity and is now on public display at the Newtown campus of the Bucks County Community College.

Local philanthropist Gene Epstein learned about the treasure - an historic circa 1890 Newtown milk wagon emblazoned with the name of Torbert’s Dairy Farm - from Newtown historian Dave Callahan.

Callahan had seen it advertised for auction at Brown Brothers and was interested in acquiring it for the Newtown Historical Association. But he had heard that Epstein had planned to bid on it, too. So he reached out to Gene to find out if he had plans for the wagon.

“I had no idea what he was talking about since I haven't purchased any horse drawn carriages for years,” said Epstein, who was once an avid collector of horse drawn carriages and wagons.

But the conversation piqued his interest.

The Torbert's Dairy milk wagon.

“I went up and looked at the carriage, which was filthy, and started to see some potential,” said Epstein. “I told the auction house to call me and I'd do a phone bid.”

Representatives from the Newtown Historical Association were also bidding on it, but dropped out when the bidding surpassed $5,000. That left Epstein and a man from Millersburg, Ohio, who seemed intent on winning the bid.

“Refusing to see this rare piece of Newtown history leave our area I just kept bidding,” said Epstein. “Eventually, I was the top bidder.”

Afterwards, Epstein said he reached out to Callahan with the good news - the wagon would be staying in Bucks.

While Callahan said he was disappointed the association wasn’t successful in its attempt to acquire the local piece of history, he was elated the wagon would be staying in the area.

“I am tickled pink that it’s here because that’s where it should be,” said Callahan. “It could have gone to Ohio and that would have been a shame.”

Peering through the sliding doors of the circa 1890 milk wagon.

According to Callahan, the wagon was built by Torbert’s Dairy, which had a dairy farm on Sycamore Street in Newtown across from Goodnoe Farm at the turn of the 20th Century.

The wagon, he said, dates to about 1890. “It was a different style of wagon than any of the other dairies. The other dairies were using regular wagons that you had to climb up into. It was an effort getting in and out of the wagon while you were delivering milk.

“This wagon was built low to the ground and it has sliding doors on the side of the body and the milkman could easily get the milk in and out of the wagon, which was very unique,” said Callahan. “The horse would just trot along and the milkman would grab stuff out of the wagon and deliver it
to the customers.”

Callahan said it was probably used for a 30 year period from 1890 to about 1920. “It’s actually in very good shape for as old as it is. On the back there’s gold leaf lettering that says Torbert’s Dairy. On the side it says milk and cream. And on the front it says pasteurized milk.”

The carriage was delivered to Epstein 48 hours after he acquired it at the auction, which took place on Dec. 31.

Loading up the wagon for its trip to Bucks County Community College.

“It took several days with a 2.5 inch camel hair paintbrush with gentle soap and water to gently remove the surface dirt without damaging the original paint and gold leaf,” said Epstein. “I tediously - inch by inch - cleaned it just like you would do with an oil painting. It certainly
doesn’t look like new, but it’s clean and you can see the gold leaf lettering.

“I then had a mechanic carefully grease the ‘fifth wheel’ so that the carriage can wheel freely.

“It’s a very unique body,” he said. “I’ve researched hundreds of milk carriages over the years and none of them had this shape and style,” he said.

Epstein has given the wagon to the Bucks County Community College, which has it on display inside the Zlock Performing Arts Center with the understanding that if the Newtown Historical Association ever builds or acquires a museum/facility to publicly display the wagon, Bucks County Community College will either loan or donate the wagon to them.

“I bought it so it could be seen by the public in Newtown and to preserve the history,” said Epstein.

The back of the milk wagon.

College President Dr. Felicia L. Ganther said the college and the college foundation are honored to be the recipients of the extremely generous gift from Gene and Marlene Epstein.

“In light of its Newtown connection, the Torbert’s Dairy delivery wagon is a particularly meaningful historical artifact and we are very pleased to have it on our campus,” she said. “We are proud of the college’s Newtown roots, and our home in the historic Tyler Family mansion.”

Since the Tyler property included a dairy farm with a herd of prize Ayrshire cattle when George and Stella resided there, it seems appropriate to have a dairy wagon here, said Ganther.

“To be able to expand our collection of historical items of local interest with this wagon is exciting and we are grateful to the Epsteins for keeping the wagon where it belongs - in Newtown, Bucks County.”

Gene Epstein also acquired the Torbert's Dairy sign.