Daniel Webster’s phaeton

Daniel Webster’s phaeton, a beautifully restored 19th-century buggy, now resides at the Daniel Webster Estate, where it stands as a testament to the legacy of the renowned orator and statesman. This open carriage, which Webster once used to traverse the roads of Marshfield, returned to the estate in 2012 as a generous gift from Dartmouth College. According to Otis Carney, a member of the estate board, Dartmouth was pleased to return the carriage to its rightful home when they learned that the Daniel Webster Preservation Trust (DWPT) had the perfect space to showcase it.

The phaeton underwent meticulous restoration by John Mikkola of the Olde Woodwright Shop, who repaired the frame and wheels, repainted, and reupholstered the carriage. Now, as Mickey Carr, a DWPT board member, puts it, the buggy "looks new and terrific." The phaeton’s return to the estate not only adds to the historical ambiance of the property but also offers visitors a deeper connection to Webster’s life in Marshfield. As Carr eloquently stated, "It makes it more poignant. This was his."