The Conestoga wagon first appeared in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and was used as a farm wagon to haul freight. They carried flour and other farm products to market in the cities and brought back goods needed by the farmers and their families. This was true in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Ohio during the period of 1750 to 1855. The wagons were built for rough terrain. The bottoms were bowed in the middle to prevent cargo from shifting during the journey. Large wheels allowed the wagon to pass over streams without getting wet and to travel over stumps and large rocks in the roads. Canvas was attached to wooden hoops that arched over the wagon to protect goods from inclement weather. The canvas was often soaked in linseed oil for waterproofing. Conestoga wagons featured a feed box and water bucket for the horses, a tar bucket with pine tar lubricant, a toolbox, an axe, and a lazy board. Wagon drivers did not ride in the wagons; the lazy board pulled out so that the driver could sit on it while he drove his team of horses. His other options were to walk alongside the wagon or ride the last horse on the left side of his team.

Conestoga wagons were too heavy to be pulled the long distances required by westward migration as is often popularly believed. Those settlers used modified farm wagons known as prairie schooners. The expansion of railroads in the mid-19th century marked the end of the wagons use.