Among the many artifacts that call the Glengarry Pioneer Museum home are two walking wheels, or great wheels, that were used for spinning wool into yarn. Walking wheels were one of the earliest models of spinning wheels, and have been around since the medieval times. European settlers brought the design for walking wheels with them when they began arriving in North America throughout the 18th century. These wheels are about five feet tall and require the person using them to be standing alongside, holding the fiber in the left hand and spinning the wheel with their right hand. One of the two great wheels here at the museum once belonged to Velma Franklin who lived in the Dunvegan area. Her walking wheel is featured in the photograph below.
